But Christmas has become so commercial, that I never wanted them to forget why we celebrated and in whose honor it was. So one tradition I started when they were very young was a special Birthday cake that was served on Christmas morning along with hot spiced cider. If they woke before we did (and they always did, LOL) they were allowed to open their stockings and nothing else. Once we were all up, we sang happy birthday to the baby Jesus, cut the cake and had cake and cider while we opened our gifts. The cake is more like a "coffee cake" with nuts and spices and my gang all love it.
Even though my oldest is giving me fits with his current 'beliefs', he still wanted me to send him the recipe for the cake and cider so he can continue the tradition of eating cake and drinking cider while opening gifts, with his daughters.
I thought maybe some of you might like to start a tradition of your own or just would like the cake as it’s really very good. LOL
Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
4 beaten eggs
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup hot water
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter extract
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Chopped walnuts
Directions
- Preheat over to 350ยบ.
- Put all ingredients except sugar, cinnamon and walnuts into a glass bowl.
- Mix well with electric mixer.
- Grease Bundt pan well and line bottom and sides with walnuts.
- Combine sugar, cinnamon and more chopped walnuts in a separate bowl.
- Pour batter into pan by alternating between the first prepared mixture and the cinnamon mixture, ending with the first mixture.
- Bake 1 hour in oven.
- Cake is done when a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Turn a plate upside down on the cake and flip it over.
NOTES:
- If you have picky eaters, do not let them see you add the sour cream (my oldest didn’t know about this ingredient until I gave him the recipe several years ago LOL)
- Do not use butter to grease Bundt pan as it will cause the cake to stick.
- When you line the Bundt pan with walnuts, they will NOT stick all the way up the sides.
- When adding the cinnamon mixture, try to keep it away from the edges so that you will have less trouble with sticking
- Set the cake on a cooling rack for approximately 10 minutes before trying to flip it out of the pan
- If the cake sticks to the pan, tap carefully on the bottom and sides of the pan.
- If any pieces remain in pan, just stick them where they belong in the cake – it is moist enough that it will hold back together.
- If you decide to use pecans rather than walnuts, be very careful because pecans seem to cause more sticking
- You can make this without nuts if you don’t like them
- Tightly covering the cake while still slightly warm will keep it moist and fresh. Will last up to 5 days without refrigeration. Of course, it never lasts that long around my house. LOL
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and if you try the recipe, as always, I would love any feedback you would care to give.
What a lovely tradition, Cat. This is a nice recipe (I can tell how moist it will be from the ingredients) I am going to bake it for my family when i get to my daughter's place. Yeah!
ReplyDeletehugs and love
lillie
Thank you Lillie. I hope you and your family enjoy it. If you have any questions when you get to your daughter's place, just email me.
DeleteHugs and Blessings,
Cat
Our tradition is crepes after presents - and what a mess it makes....but it is so fun to fire up the crepe pan and hear them around the table......sigh
ReplyDeletehugs sweetie
lillie
Ooh Lillie - crepes - might be messy but dang, but they are yummy.
DeleteHugs,
Cat
What a wonderful tradition to celebrate the "reason for the season". It must be so gratifying to have it passed on to the next generation.
ReplyDeleteThe cake sounds delicious.
The original recipe came from my mom and I modified it for our tradition. So it is now being enjoyed by the 4th generation which gives me such a lovely feeling of continuity.
DeleteI know it has more than 5 ingredients Sunny but it is very easy to make if you ever want to try it.
Blessings,
Cat
MMMMM! I can smell it from here!
ReplyDeleteLOL BB! Smells even better when it comes out of the oven. ;)
DeleteBlessings,
Cat
Yummy, I am not really a baker but will try this! We usually have a major breakfast Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really a baker either Minelle - but this one is really easy and should give you no trouble. Am always available by email if you have any questions. ;)
DeleteBlessings,
Cat
That is a great tradition, Cat. Thanks for the recipe, it sounds so yummy. My family is going to love it.
ReplyDeleteEmma
Thank you Emma. It is very yummy. If you make it, please let me know what you family thinks of it.
DeleteBlessings,
Cat
Keeps for 5 days, I'm in!
ReplyDeleteI usually make cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, but I am always trying to simplify as we have a mess load of people coming to our Shoebox for dinner. Anything I can do ahead of time suits me just fine- ( I don't like to have to give up my sour cream for a cake though...it should simply be eaten with a spoon...wink) I'll tell you how they enjoy it, ( I'm allergic to cinnamon).
It is a beautiful tradition Cat. We too have many that we started to teach the boys that Christmas isn't about the presents, but the gifts.
Love
Willie
Hey Willie -
DeleteIt keeps for 5 days if it's well wrapped (I use Saran (plastic) wrap) and if I could keep my crew out of it. LOL
I'm not a big sour cream lover but it does make the cake super moist so give up the sour cream woman! :) You know you can email me if you have any questions and I always like feedback so let me know if they like it.
If you are allergic to cinnamon, you could easily make this cake without it so that you can enjoy it also. If your crew really likes cinnamon, make 2 - one with/one without. ;)
Thank you dear - I love the way you put that "...Christmas isn't about the resents, but the gifts."
Blessings,
Cat
I love this :) I usually make cinnamon rolls or cinnamon-bun pancakes....but this may just make the list this year! Cake for breakfast?? I am in :)
ReplyDeleteOur boys are getting big enough (6,6,3) that they are finally getting the real reason for the season so to speak.
Thanks for sharing....
~Lucy
Hi Lucy - My boys loved the idea of having cake for breakfast and I'll bet yours would also (perfect ages!).
DeleteIf you decide to make this, let me know how it comes out. If you have any questions, you know you can email me.
Blessings,
Cat
I think just maybe I could make this one without it being a total mess! Thanks Cat.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny but b/c we don't have kids, we are still all over the place (physically) over the holidays. It's hard to establish our own traditions. It may need to happen a week early but I'm going to try this year!
Hey Susie - I'm sure you could make this without it being a mess! If you decide to make it, feel free to email me if you have any questions.
DeleteI think it is harder to establish your own traditions before you have kids but I'm sure you and MM will figure out what suits the two of you best - even if it is a week early. ;)
Blessings,
Cat
Sounds yummy Cat. I can't wait to try it.
ReplyDeleteHey TL - If you try it, let me know what you think. Hope you like it.
DeleteBlessings,
Cat
This looks yummy, Cat! I think this might make an appearance at our house :) It's a most lovely tradition...I love having holiday traditions... you never know how much they mean to the children till you say you're not doing something, lol. That's kind of nice to know you gave them a gift of warmth, love and sense of belonging.
ReplyDeleteIf you decide to make it June, I hope you and yours enjoy it. Of course, if you have any questions, please email me.
DeleteNot sure what any of my crew would do if I discontinued traditions. LOL
I find it amusing that even with my son's current 'beliefs' he still wants to carry on the cake/cider tradition with my grands. ;)
Blessings,
Cat