Cake, bread recipes win top honors at county fair

What foods won the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion ribbons in the 4-H division at the Douglas County Free Fair?

Erin Ashcraft of the Four Leaf Clover 4-H Club exhibited the chiffon cake that was awarded the Grand Champion Non-Perishable Food Product at the fair. Simon Fangman, Clinton Eagles 4-H Club member, received the Reserve Grand Champion award for his crescent rolls.

The other two class champions in Non-Perishable Food Products were awarded to Katy Taul of the Palmyra 4-H Club for her Raspberry-Laced Vanilla Cake and Zoey Fife, Vinland Valley 4-H Club member, who exhibited a Seven-Grain Potato Bread. The recipe that she used was developed by her mother. Here’s the champion recipes:

Betty Crocker Golden Chiffon Cake

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 teaspoons double-action baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cooking (salad) oil

7 unbeaten egg yolks (medium-sized)

3/4 cup cold water

2 teaspoons vanilla

grated rind of one lemon (about 2 teaspoons)

1 cup egg whites (7 or 8)

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Measure and sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add in order cooking oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla and lemon rind. Beat with a spoon until smooth.

Measure into large mixing bowl egg whites and cream of tartar.

Whip until whites form stiff peaks. They should be much stiffer than for an angel food cake or meringue. Do not underbeat.

Pour egg yolk mixture gradually over whipped egg whites gently folding with rubber scraper just until blended. Do not stir. Pour into ungreased pan immediately. Use 10-inch tube pan 4 inches deep. Bake 55 minutes in 325-degree oven, then increase heat to 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Grandma Joan’s Yeast Rolls

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/2 cup hot water, in which 2 packages active dry yeast have been dissolved

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Mix together sugar, shortening and salt until smooth. Stir in milk and hot water with dissolved yeast. Beat in sifted all-purpose flour. Scrape dough from sides of bowl. Cover with damp cloth. Let rise until double. Shape into crescent rolls. Cover.

Let rise until double. Bake until golden brown in a 425-degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

Raspberry-Laced Vanilla Cake

2 2/3 cups Gold Medal all-purpose or 3 cups Softasilk cake flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup raspberry jam

Butter Cream Frosting

raspberry candies (or fresh raspberries), if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and side of three round pans, 9 inches by 1 1/2 inches, with shortening; lightly flour. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. Beat in flour mixture, milk, vanilla and eggs on medium speed until blended. Beat 2 minutes longer. Pour into pans.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely. Cut each cake horizontally to make two layers. (Mark side of cake with toothpicks and cut with long, thin serrated knife.)

Place one layer, cut side up, on serving plate; spread with 1/3 cup raspberry jam to within 1/4-inch of edge. Top with another layer, cut side down; spread with 1/3 cup Butter Cream Frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting.

Pipe frosting on top of cake to form diamond-shapes if desired. Garnish with raspberry candies or fresh raspberries by placing them in the centers of the diamonds. Store loosely covered. Makes 12 to 15 servings.

Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup raspberry liqueur or raspberry syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat butter and powdered sugar in medium bowl on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in liqueur and vanilla until smooth and spreadable.

Recipes from “Gold Medal Winning State Fair Cakes”

Mom’s 7-Grain Potato Bread

2-3 small potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled until soft

1 cup potato water (saved from boiled potatoes)

1 scant tablespoon yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup 7-grain flour

4 tablespoons butter

1 egg

1 1/2 cup bread flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

Mash potatoes with fork, measure out 1 cup. Dissolve yeast in warm potato water (cool to luke warm). Add remaining ingredients in pan of bread machine. Set to dough cycle and let run course. Knead dough and shape into round loaf. Let rise for 20 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees until brown on top and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Butter top of warm loaf. Cool on wire rack.


Susan Krumm is an Extension agent in family and consumer sciences with K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County, 2110 Harper St.