50's Mixmaster Recipe Book

[rp2813]

Calling all mixer collectors. Hoping this link works. If it does, scroll down to the "Request Line" heading towards the bottom.

Home Plates: Reader finds missing brownie recipe

Home Plates: Reader finds missing brownie recipe

www.mercurynews.com

In case I did something wrong and the link won't work, the food section of the local paper had a piece on someone who is looking for an orange cake recipe from an early 50's Sunbeam Mixmaster book. Can anybody come up with this recipe? I think so. And I'll bet this lady thinks she's asking for the impossible!

 

[mattl]

I have the 1957 Mixmaster cookbook, but no orange layer cake. there is an orange chiffon cake that has orange coconut frosting, wonder if that's what she is after. Maybe here mom didn't have the correct pan and made a layer cake out of it.

 

[mattl]

... I want an edit button!!!

drift says it all.

 

[rp2813]

Matt, I think the orange chiffon is probably the recipe this person is after. I know that when I compared a couple of recipe books that came with KA mixers, one from about 30 years ago and one that was more recent, a lot of the same recipes were in there but with different names. And you could be right about possible adaptations into a layer cake.

If you can provide the recipe here, that would be great, or you can respond directly to the columnist if you'd rather.

Thanks for going to the trouble to check your book.

Ralph

 

[waterstreet]

50's Orange Cake

My Mixmaster 7B book has a cake that has 1 tsp of Orange Extract and 1 tsp of Lemon Extract as it's flavoring. It is called a "Large Sunshine Cake" - I wonder of this is what is wanted.

I do not have or want a username or password for the Mercury link given so I do not know the exact wording of the request.

David

 

[rp2813]

The Actual Request

David and others interested in helping out, I'm pasting the text here from the column. I hope I'm not violating any copyright laws by doing so! Also didn't realize they still want a log-in to access that site. I didn't need to use one, just went straight to the site and drilled down to the article I was looking for. No small task, as it's a very poorly designed site.

Here are the details per the article:

"When my mom got married in the early '50s, my grandfather gave her a Mixmaster stand mixer. With it came a recipe booklet with some of the most delectable baked goods," says Plates regular Ann Begun of San Jose. The mixer whipped up lasting memories for Begun's family. An orange layer cake with orange/coconut frosting was the must-have dessert for her brother's birthday and her parents' anniversary. "Mom has been gone for 10 years now, and the recipe book long disappeared," says Begun. "I've tried recreating the recipe with no success. Perhaps your readers could help?"

 

[nurdlinger]

"I Like to Bake a Sunshine Cake"

This must have been something popular in the 40s/50s. My mother used to sing that snippet above. She also had a Mixmaster from that era, and the cake I remember as the sunshine cake is just what is described in the quoted newspaper article.

 

[tlee618]

I have the Sunbeam Mixmaster book from my mom's model 12 with a copyright date of 1957. In it I found a recipe for Orange Pecan Cupcakes, I am wondering if this is it and she just baked it in cake pans instead of cupcakes. Also found a frosting recipe for Orange Cream Cheese Frosting. Think this might be it? Terry

 

[hoover1060]

Early 50's...

So this lady's mother most likely had a model 10 Mixmaster, which was on the market 1950-1955.
I think I have a model 10 cookbook at home, I will have to look and see.

 

[rp2813]

Jeff, thanks for offering to check your book. I don't know why I'm even pursuing this, but when I read the article I felt I'd be remiss if I didn't try my luck here on AW, which is probably the most viable resource out there to get the recipe.

 

[mattl]

Looks good I might make it tomorrow....

Here is the scan I did. It comes from the Mixmaster book from 1957.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Matt, I'll bet this is the recipe she is looking for!

 

[waterstreet]

This is probably it

From the amount of orange juice in the cake and frosting and the use of coconut - this sounds like what the person is looking for.

 

[danemodsandy]

nurdlinger: Baking A Sunshine Cake

"'I Like to Bake a Sunshine Cake'

This must have been something popular in the 40s/50s. My mother used to sing that snippet above."

"Let's Bake a Sunshine Cake" is a song from the 1950 movie musical Riding High, with Bing Crosby and Coleen Gray. Your mom very likely saw the film, and the song stuck with her. Also, the song became popular enough to be played on radio; Frank Sinatra recorded his own version. The movie was directed by Frank Capra, who directed Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. You can get Riding High on DVD; Paramount just released it in the last year or two.

"We ought to bake a sunshine cake
It does more good than a big thick steak
Start with a tablespoon of trouble
Then add a smile and let it bubble up
We ought to bake a sunshine cake
It isn't really so hard to make
Fresh tears, a pound or two of pleasure
Kind words you needn't use a measure cup
It's not from a recipe book
You don't have to be a good cook
Or run to the oven and look
With such a simple dish, all you do is wish
So why not bake a sunshine cake
Of course it may keep your dreams awake
Friends say there's nothing like the flavor
Don't wait to do your friends a favor
And for goodness sake, let's bake a sunshine cake
It's got vitamins A, vitamins B
Vitamins L-O-V-E
If you're fat, it's for that
If you're thin, stuff it in
What's wrong if you get a double grin
We ought to bake a sunshine cake
It's not from a recipe book
You don't have to be a good cook
Or run to the oven and look
With such a simple dish, all you do is wish
So why not bake a sunshine cake
Of course it may keep your dreams awake
Friends say there ain't nothing like the flavor
Don't wait to do your friends a favor
And for goodness sake, let's bake a sunshine cake!"

 

[maytagbear]

The cake sounds good

that is a classic chiffon cake.

However, I would make a different frosting...the one given calls for uncooked egg yolks, and they can have salmonella.

There are ways of working around...dried egg yolks, pasteurised whole eggs, or just making an egg free, uncooked buttercream with lots of finely grated orange zest.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

--my cold or flu, or whatever is better, but not totally gone. Thanks for the good wishes and email.

 

[rp2813]

We are not alone . . .

Well, I checked the paper yesterday and there were tons of responses to the request for this recipe. The columnist prefaced her follow-up with some nice words about how mixers are one of the most beloved kitchen appliances and tend to outlast others that get replaced over time.

A lot of local people responded who still have the recipe book that came with their machines and the writer adapted the recipe for a layer cake.

I guess the response bordered on overwhelming, and it's nice to know that so many of these old Mixmasters are still in use today by original owners or those fortunate enough to have them handed down.