Heavenly Hash Cake

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When I was growing up this was one of my favorite desserts. The candy like marshmallow chocolate topping helps the cake stay fresh. As part of its College Care service, my mom's business, Nancy's Corner, used to deliver this cake to local college students. I made this cake for my daughter's birthday this year. To test that it ships well, I sent one to my nephew for his 7th birthday.

My mom uses the "Heavenly Hash Cake" recipe from The Cotton Country Collection cookbook by the Junior League of Monroe, LA. I started with the NOPSI recipe from the cookbook From Woodstoves to Microwaves Cooking with Entergy. After consulting with my mom, I came up with my version for an 8"x8" cake based on these recipes. I substituted flour and baking powder for self-rising flour, heated the milk and butter before adding it to the powdered sugar and cocoa, and used large marshmallows.

Recipe Name

The recipe reminds me of the chocolate marshmallow Elmer's Heavenly Hash eggs I received in my Easter basket every year when I was young.

Helpful Hints

For the chocolate topping, heat the butter with the evaporated milk before adding to powdered sugar and cocoa. This results in a pourable frosting. Mixing cold or room temperature milk with the butter can cause the butter to re-solidify resulting in a lumpy topping.

Cut your marshmallows in advance, so they slightly melt when put on on cake.

Ingredients

1/2	Cup	Butter, one stick
1	Cup	Sugar
2		Eggs
1	Tsp	Vanilla
3/4	Cup	White flour
1/8	Cup	Cocoa powder
3/4	Tsp	Baking powder
21-24		Large marshmallows, about 1/2 a 10 ounce bag
2	Cups	Powdered sugar
1/8	Cup	Cocoa powder
1/8	Cup	Butter, 2 Tbsps
1/4	Cup	Evaporated Milk

Directions

1. Grease and flour an 8" x 8" baking pan.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Sift together flour, 1/8 cup cocoa powder, and baking powder.
4. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until smooth.
6. Add vanilla and mix.
7. Slowly add sifted ingredients and mix.
8. Pour the thick batter into the prepared pan.
9. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.
10. While baking, cut marshmallows in half using kitchen scissors.
11. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, put cut marshmallows on top of cake in a single layer, cut side down.
12. For topping, sift together powder sugar and 1/8 cup cocoa powder.
13. Heat butter and evaporated milk until butter is melted. I do this in a cup in the microwave.
14. Using an electric mixer, mix butter and milk into sugar and cocoa until smooth.
15. Pour topping on top of marshmallows.
16. Allow to sit overnight or until topping is hard.

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Oatmeal Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

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This is the chocolate chip cookie recipe I use. It is based on the "Everybody-Loves-Chocolate-Chip Cookies" recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookies for Kids cookbook. I added instant oats to the recipe and replaced part of the white flour with wheat flour. I think the wheat flour and oats give the cookies a nutty flavor even if there are no nuts in the cookies. I always use butter when I make these cookies.

For variety, use a different type of baking chip or a combination of chips. On Saturday, I made a regular batch for my daughter to share with her winter guard team. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped up Wilton Candy Cane Colorburst Melts, and Holiday Mint M&M's. in the batch I sent to my son who is taking the first part of the CPA exam on Friday,

This recipe make about 4 dozen 2" cookies or 3 dozen 3" cookies. Note the different bake times in the recipe.

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar should be firmly packed in the cup when measuring it.

Pinch

A pinch is just a little bit or about 1/8 a teaspoon

Ingredients

1/2	Cup	Butter, 1 stick
1/2	Cup	Vegetable shortening
1	Cup	Brown sugar
1/2	Cup	Sugar
2		Eggs
1 1/2	Tsps	Vanilla
1	Tsp	Baking soda
	Pinch	Salt
1/2	Cup	Instant oats
1	Cup	Wheat flour
1 1/2	Cups	White flour
1	Cup	Chocolate chips
1/2	Cup	Nuts, chopped, or extra chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until blended.
4. Add pinch of salt, baking soda, and oats to creamed mixture. Mix well.
5. Mix in wheat flour.
6. Mix in white flour.
7. Batter is stiff. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts by hand.
   
8. For 2" cookies, rolls balls about 1 1/4" in diameter and place on baking sheets. For 3" cookies, roll balls about 1 1/2" in diameter. I bake 12 cookies on a AirBake cookie sheet.
   
9. Bake 2" cookies about 10-12 minutes and 3" cookies, 12-14 minutes.
10. Immediately remove from pan.
    

Cinnamon Nut Coffee Cake

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When I was growing up, my mom occasionally made Bisquick Streusel Coffee Cake for a breakfast treat. Since I usually do not have Bisquick, I was happy to find a similar Coffee Cake recipe in the February 2001 issue of Family Fun magazine.

I altered my version by using part wheat flour and adding an extra tablespoon of butter in the batter. In the topping, I reduced the cinnamon and added nutmeg. I also increased the baking time since my cake takes 40 to 45 minutes to bake versus the 25 to 30 in the original recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/3	Cups	White flour
2/3	Cup	Wheat flour
1	Tsp	Baking powder
1/2	Tsp	Baking soda
1/2	Tsp	Salt
3/4	Cup	Sugar
2	Tbsps	Melted butter
1		Egg, room temperature
1 1/2	Cups	Buttermilk

Topping

1/3	Cup	Brown sugar
1/2	Cup	Chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1	Tsp	Ground cinnamon
1/4	Tsp	Ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix brown sugar, chopped nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix white flour, wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, mix melted butter, egg, and buttermilk.
5. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to mix. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
6. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Press topping gently into batter so that it is moist. If the topping is too dry, it crumbles off the cake. If desired, run a knife through the batter and topping to get a swirl effect.
7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.