Old Fashioned Baking—Molasses Spice Squares

Molasses Spice Squares 2A few days ago we invited friends over for a last-minute Sunday night supper. The week had been frenetic, leaving me with no time for special cooking, so I opted to make part of the meal and purchase the rest. As appetizers I served cheeses bought at our local farmers market with toasted baguette slices, and radishes that were dipped in a bowl of softened sweet butter and another of sea salt. I ordered several pizzas from a local pizzeria, and served them with a fall salad that our generous guests contributed. And, for dessert I baked old fashioned molasses spice cake squares.

The recipe for the dark, moist squares, studded with walnuts and raisins, came to me back in 2007 from Kelle Quist, a talented personal chef in western Massachusetts. The scrumptious squares, created by her grandmother many years ago, have been a long time family favorite, and it’s easy to see why. The combination of spices, paired with molasses and surprisingly with brewed coffee, results in a beautiful blending of flavors. In fact the only change I made to the original directions was to replace vegetable shortening with sweet butter.

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5 thoughts on “Old Fashioned Baking—Molasses Spice Squares

  1. These squares sound like a molasses lover’s dream come true: the rich, dark essence of autumn spiced with warmth and intrigue. I can’t wait to bake these for Chuck W. (whom I know will have trouble savoring just one at a sitting)! Speaking of Chuck, thanks so much for leaving happy birthday wishes for him, Betty — it means a lot to him to hear from his friends!

    • Thanks so much for your kind comments.Hope Chuck will enjoy these old fashioned squares.It was a pleasure to wish him all the best for his 99th birthday! He has changed the way America cooks!

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