Spanish Bar Cake
The looking for lost food loves thread got this idea started as there were a few of us who mentioned the lost Spanish Bar Cake that was made by A+P Stores. Then Ohiomom gave a recipe that Teresa posted, but the color wasn't right.
Teresa then posted another recipe that she had found. I couldn't get it out of my head, so I made it yesterday.
Color's right!
Taste is right!
Must be right!!!
Thanks Teresa...this cake brought back many memories. I just knew this recipe with the cocoa in it was the right one.....chocolate and cinnamon used in Mexican and Spanish all the time....
Here's the recipe....
Spanish Bar
2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa (I used Dutch process)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. allspice
Add: 1/2 c. oil
2 c. applesauce
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. raisins
Mix first 8 ingredients together in an electric mixer; mix well. Add next 3 ingredients. Raisins should be added last. Bake at 350 degrees in 9x13 inch pan for 30-35 minutes; tube pan 40-45 minutes.
You can finish with a plain white icing or sprinkle with power sugar.
Nancy
Oh that looks yummy ... I agree it is the dark color I remember the cake to be.
Copying & Pasting :)
Nancy,
That's the real thing!! Just like I remembered.
Theresa, thanks for the recipe & Nancy for reposting it.
Lucy
Yay for Nancy of the North! I'm glad to know you think this is a close recipe. It is the one I planned to ask Mom to make this weekend - as soon as I can get some of the ingredients!
Thanks!
That cake looks amazing. Is it basically a cocoa flavored spice cake? Nancy, did you bake in a 9x13, then cut it in half to make layers? I'd like to try that, it sounds so easy and other than being low on raisins, I think I have everything. Probably a good keeper too, if it lasts that long in this house:-)
DONNA
I noticed it on the WFD..that is gorgeous!
Baked in a 9X13 pan and cut lengthways in half.
I also plumped the raisins.
I was talking to my DM when the timer went off on the oven. I pulled out the cake no realizing the canter was a little underdone. When I told my DM what I was pulling out of the oven she remembered it and said, "I bought that all the time because you kids liked it so much, I never did care for it." :)
Nancy
Nancy that looks perfect! My grocery store still carries Spanish Bar but it's not the same as it used to be.
Loved what you did with striping on the icing, exactly as I recall it!
Thank you for clarifying, Nancy. I look forward to trying the recipe, and I'll plump the raisins too:-)
DONNA
Looks fantastic Nancy. I cut and pasted from the previous thread, now I'm more focused on making it this weekend. And thanks for reminding me about the lines in the frosting.
Wow, Nancy! Now I'm home I can see that gorgeous cake and it looks just like it's supposed to look!
I'm going to ask Mom to make this glaze for our cake:
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. lemon extract
1-2 TB hot milk
She may need a double recipe to ice the top and between the layers, but you got the lines in the frosting just right.
Teresa
Today I had some of Mom's Spanish Bar cake that I had asked her to make - the same recipe Nancy made above. It was pretty darn close to what I remember the A&P Spanish Bar tasted like. It was moist, spicy, and delicious. The glaze was good (mainly because I don't like heavy, thick frosting on cake) but it wasn't the same frosting/icing that the A&P made for their Bar.
My sister suggested the recipe for the filling that goes between oatmeal cookies and whoopee pies? But that is usually made with shortening and I don't know if I can face that. Just the thought of shortening lately makes me feel nauseous. LOL!
It's funny, but my sister didn't remember the cake until I told her about the icing on top and the ridged decoration that was done to the top of the cake. She's 4 years younger than I am.
Teresa
I'm glad you tried it Teresa. I think there are loy's of different frosting recipes that would work well on the cake. I think that old fashioned recipe where you cook flour and milk would be good.
Nancy
Anyone have a recipe for the Vanilla cream type frosting?
mccall, here's the recipe I just snagged off the OP that created the above.
:o)
Frosting:
1/3 cup shortening
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk or cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Beat till smooth and creamy.
Yup, that's the frosting I made. I always use butter but I wanted this cake as close to the original as possible.
Nancy
I cannot believe I've found that A&P Spanish Bar receipe for this long lost delicious cake. I can't wait to try it. And to think all I had to do was search "Spanish Bar Cake"..... My mom used to buy that all the time, yum. By the way mom used to make the best white frosting. I remember that she put white lard into it. I have thought about it often, but that lard? I figured I didn't remember correctly. Well thanks to this group I am going to give it a whirl, right along with that Spanish Bar. I can't wait! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Good luck with that, Lynn, and be sure to come back and tell us how it went. And now I think I need to make one.
Annie
This might be the recipe you are thinking about, Lynn. It is really delicious.
Medina Pero’s
White Icing
The wife of a co-worker in Germany gave me this recipe in the 1970s. It is so good!
In a saucepan mix well 1/2 cup milk and 3 tablespoons flour. Cook, stirring constantly,
until mixture becomes paste-like. Chill in refrigerator.
When ready to prepare icing, blend 1/2 cup margarine, 1/2 cup Crisco, 3/4
cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. When well blended, add the chilled mixture.
Beat about
ten minutes until well blended again. Add vanilla and beat for another 5
minutes.
Spread on cake.
U know I wouldn't use lard from an animal or what they used in the cowboy days,. I believe it could have been Crisco (pure white) and u could not taste it in the frosting. I'm gonna have to experiment...a little at a time.