How about a rum cake? Add nostalgia to Christmas baking

Holiday treats often remind folks of Christmases past. For some, it may be grandmother’s famous tea cakes or for others, a fresh coconut cake.

Christmas recipes, especially desserts, are nostalgic. They remind cooks of those loved ones who have died.

Longtime contributor, reader and good cook Dora Harrison discovered an old-time Cajun dessert recipe that would be a new, creamy treat in some households, bouille cake and pudding. Bouille is a traditional Cajun custard pie that Harrison discovered on www.louisianacookin.com.

Margie Davenport of Cut Off, Louisiana, gets the credit for the recipe. Davenport says this is the best dish she makes.

Perhaps other readers will remember eating bouille that their grandmothers or aunts made.

Harrison is a recipe collector. She finds recipe booklets and collections that offer old and new recipes. She shared two others that I think will spark holiday memories for fellow readers: Bacardi rum cake and coconut macaroons. These recipes are from www.thespruceeats.com.

In years past, readers have asked for a Bacardi rum cake recipe. It’s a tradition in some families. The coconut macaroons are an easy three-ingredient recipe. One batch makes 48 macaroons and are gluten-free. These would make good gifts for teachers, friends and neighbors.

Gifts that cooks take time to make for others often mean much more.

BOUILLE CAKE AND PUDDING

Step 1: Make bouille and set aside to cool. Make yellow cake mix according to instructions on box. In pan, layer raw cake batter, then bouille, repeat cake mix, bouille, cake mix, bouille, leaving a little bouille for top once the cake is done. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Use toothpick to test. Once cool, top with the remainder of bouille.

BOUILLE

(Old-fashioned Custard)

1 (8-ounce) can evaporated milk

1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk

1 quart whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

8 egg yolks

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup butter

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained (optional)

8 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Combine milks in 5-quart saucepan; bring to boil. Beat egg yolks; add 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Add yolk mixture to boiling milk. Beat with electric mixer over medium heat until creamy and thick. Remove from heat; add butter. Add pineapple, if desired. In large bowl, beat egg whites until frothy; add 1/4 cup sugar and cream of tartar; beat until semi-stiff. Fold into cooked milk custard. Serve hot or cold. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

— Recipe by Margie Davenport; shared by Dora Harrison

BACARDI RUM CAKE

1 cup pecans or walnuts (chopped and toasted)

1 (18 1/2-ounce) yellow cake mix

1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces)

4 eggs

1/2 cup cold milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

For the glaze:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on the bottom of pan.

Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan, invert onto serving plate. Prick top with a fork.

For the glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Note: The rum will cause steam. Be careful not to burn yourself. Drizzle glaze over top of Bacardi rum cake. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping on cake.

Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

— From www.thespruceeats.com; shared by Dora Harrison

EASY 3-INGREDIENT COCONUT MACAROONS

5 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (gently packed)

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick foil. Spray the paper or foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract; blend well.

Grease a teaspoon or cookie scoop or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Using the teaspoon or cookie scoop, drop mounds of the coconut mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between the cookies.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Immediately remove the cookies to a rack to cool.

— From www.thespruceeats.com; shared by Dora Harrison

This story was originally published December 15, 2019 at 5:00 AM.