Mystery Meals: Baby Food Cake

I know what you’re thinking and hold on a second because this ends differently than you would expect.

First thing, this is one of those great old recipes that is written in my grandmother’s hand on the back of a deposit slip from about 1989 and has no actual instructions. Actually, if I’m honest, this isn’t a recipe but rather a list of ingredients with the understanding that “Of course you know how to bake a cake because duh” but not being June Cleaver, I had to do a little extra research.

Second thing, I switched out the flour for a gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour in my cake so the texture would probably be a little fluffier if done traditionally. Personally, I think this method created something denser like a pound cake and moist like a bread pudding which I liked a lot.

Third, I baked it at 350 for nearly two hours which is way too much time. Honestly, I think the batter needed to be split between two pans but as I had no instructions I just kind of winged that part. My version was barely cooked in the middle but crisp on the edges. I thought the edges were the best so do as you see fit.

Finally, I did a teaspoon of allspice and added a teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract for fun. Walnuts were my nut of choice though the flavor could totally work with pecans as well.

So, how did it turn out? DELICIOUS! It was just a really moist and flavorful spice cake and one that I could totally see working with carrots or another baby food if you change up the flavors. I will also be making this again as an easy dessert during the holiday season.

If you really want to see/hear something entertaining, check out episode 15 of season 2 of Hey Y’all: The Podcast. We discussed fears on this episode and that seemed like a great time to try baby food out on the girls, especially as a secret. Ha! You can also see a video of the moment on our Instagram account @heyyall_thepodcast.