A 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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Is there a recipe available online for these? They sound delicious!!
Just hit page 2 at the end of the text and you’ll find the recipe on the next page.
That recipe sounds amazing, can’t wait to make it, perfect for any upcoming cooler fall days.
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!