Mexican Chocolate Cake
Mexican Chocolate Cake
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup water
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sift together the sugar, flour, salt, baking soda & cinnamon
Set aside
In a saucepan, place water, margarine, oil & cocoa powder
Bring to a boil & pour over dry ingredients
Mix well
Combine buttermilk, eggs, & vanilla extract
Add to the chocolate batter
Mix well
Pour into a greased & floured 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan
Bake at 400 deg F for 20 min
Start frosting 5 min before cake is done
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
6 Tbsp milk
1 (16 oz) box confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Place butter, cocoa powder & milk in a saucepan & bring to a boil
Be careful not to burn
Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla & pecans
Mix well
Poke holes in hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven
Spread frosting on hot cake & serve from pan
The frosting recipe can be made into delicious fudge by reducing milk to 4 Tbsp
Mesquite Bean Butter
Mesquite Bean Butter
3 quarts ripe mesquite beans
Water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 bottle liquid pectin
1 tbsp cinnamon
Gather beans from mesquite trees when ripe
Beans that are yellow with reddish streaks are the sweetest & best for butter
Cut each bean into 2 or 3 pieces & cook in a vegetable steamer over boiling water until tender (about 30 min) or until bean pods pull apart easily
Put cooked pods in a blender, 1 cup at a time with 1/2 cup water & chop with quick pulses
Put through a coarse strainer
Discard fiber & seeds
Add water as needed to make 8 cups mesquite pulp
Place in a large kettle or saucepan over high heat, stir in sugar & lemon juice, & bring to a full, rolling boil
Boil hard for 1 min
Remove from heat, stir in pectin & bring to a boil again
“Butter” is ready when a small amount dropped in a bowl of water forms a soft ball
Finally add cinnamon; stir
Pour into hot, sterilized jars & seal with paraffin
Fried Corn Bread
Fried Corn Bread
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp melted lard or vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 pickled jalapenos, seeded & mined
2 Tbsp jalapeno liquid
1/2 cup milk
Oil (for deep-frying)
Mix dry ingredients well
Add lard or oil & egg & mix well
Add remaining ingredients to form a thick batter
Heat oil to 375 deg F
Deep-fry the bread by dropping a large serving spoon of batter at a time into the oil
Drain when they are puffed, crispy & golden brown
Serve immediately with guacamole & salsa