For Mother’s Day

I was thinking about what I would ponder about for Mother’s Day weekend, and I was drawn back to an article I wrote in August 2015. We were running recipes in the DDD at that time, and I wrote about my mom’s Texas Cake. At first I wasn’t going to include the recipe and just relay the story, but I didn’t think she’d be happy with that. So here it is – recipe and all.

My mother, Gloria Hogue Fuller, left us way too soon. She was just 57 when she passed away in 1998. She left us, however, with many great memories. Among them is the recipe recollection for this week – Glo’s Texas Cake.

Mom was not one who cooked a great deal in her later life. When I was growing up, however, we always had a meat and a couple of veggies on the table. You know the usual stuff on a 1960s-1970s dining room table – fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans (or something similar) would often do the trick. She made us drink milk for supper. Sweet tea was not allowed (until I was a bit older). I remember she got into casseroles one time, and I have not eaten one since because of plain ol’ burnout!

To be honest, Mom tolerated cooking, but she really enjoyed baking. Her desserts were always a highlight. I can still taste her fudge and those no-bake cookies. I’ve had decent fudge and no-bakes since she passed, but none of them ever have or ever will compare to Mom’s.

My favorite of her desserts was the Texas Cake. Basically it is a chocolate sheet cake. She knew it was my favorite, so she made sure it was available for birthdays and then just other times when she wanted to do something special. Occasionally, I’d get a call from her, and she’d tell me a Texas Cake was on the counter. It did not take me long to get to 207 Barry Drive.

After I moved away, the Texas Cake became one of the small handful of things I would look forward to on trips back to Kennett. I’d call her up a few days before the trip and always ask if what I wanted would be ready. I didn’t name it. She knew. When she replied it would be, I’d always say I was going to stay where I was if it wasn’t. It was a game we played.

After driving all day to get to Kennett, I’d give her a quick hug – a very quick hug – and head immediately and directly to the kitchen. There it was, perfectly prepared. It had been calling my name for hours on the road. I usually had about three big pieces of it before I left that evening. It would be long gone before my visit home was over.

The Texas Cake was my Mom’s way of saying, “I love you and welcome home.” When I think of it today, I smile and remember some great times, but there is always a touch of sadness that goes along with it for times we don’t have anymore.

From an old index card, in my mother’s almost flawless left handed writing, here is Glo’s Texas Cake recipe. If anything is left out I apologize, it simply would have been in my mother’s mind and baking experience.

Sift into a bowl: two cups sugar, two cups flour.

Put in pan to cook: 1 stick of butter, 4 tablespoons cocoa, ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup Crisco (her word), 1 cup water. Bring to a rapid boil and mix into dry ingredients in a bowl.

Mix in well: two eggs, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, pour into an 11 x 16 x ½ pan. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Frosting: bring to boil slowly: 1 stick of butter, four tablespoons of cocoa, 6 tablespoons of PET (use only PET). Remove and add 1 box of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Use one cup of nuts and pour over the cake.

Mother’s Days have not been the same since 1998, but memories are a gift from above. I’m thankful those cannot be taken away.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Until next week . . .