My friend Rob had people over for a BBQ and wanted me to bring a dessert. It was a warmish evening and kinda felt like a picnic, so this cake was in order. Yum!

Picnic Cake

Recipe submitted by Mrs. Mose Hoffman, Goshen, Ind.

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Cream shortening. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well blended.

Sift flour; measure and add salt and baking powder. Sift again.

Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and flavoring. Beat thoroughly after each addition.

Pour into greased flat pan 7 x 10 x 1 1/4 inches.

Then make the following frosting:

12 marshmallows cut cross wise and placed on batter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup nuts

Mix sugar and nuts together and sprinkle over marshmallows.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Observations:

This cake was fun to make! I think kids would love to eat this cake, and would have fun helping make it. I want to try it with my niece and nephew.

I have been playing around with shortening for cakes, and used lard for this one. I think it helped to keep the cake moist.  I did over bake this cake (40 minutes). It seemed unfinished but I think it was because of the gooey marshmallows….don’t be fooled!

Lastly, I didn’t really follow the recommended pan size, it seems like this should be a flatter, large cake. I just used regular cake pan/glass baking pan. It was still very good but might have baked a bit faster and been more like a texas sheet cake.

Have a picnic! Make this cake!