Ever since winning the grand prize in the dessert category of the American Profile Hometown Holidays recipe contest announced in the November 11-17 issue, Phyllis Willink says she has received phone calls, cards and letters from all over.Phyllis submitted her recipe for Cranberry Cake with Hot Butter Sauce the first part of this year and learned in February she was the winner of the dessert category.
"It's the first time I've ever entered a contest," Phyllis said. "You had to include a story about the recipe, so I almost didn't enter. But I did have a story about this recipe so I sent it in."
As the grand prize winner, Phyllis received a monetary award, an American Profile apron and a copy of the recipe book of selected recipes, including her Cranberry Cake recipe.
"Over 1500 recipes were sent in and they test every one of them," Phyllis said. "About 250 made it into the book."
Phyllis noted the company added "Tips From Our Test Kitchen" with her recipe. The tip for her recipe noted "this recipe can be used any time of the year by substituting blueberries, blackberries or raspberries in place of the cranberries."
Phyllis said she doesn't remember where she got the original recipe. "It been so long that I've had it, but I know it's not from any one from around the area," she added.
In her accompanying story with the recipe, Phyllis wrote "This recipe is our Christmas cake-our three daughters, their husbands and their children say the holidays wouldn't be the same without it."
Phyllis said the cranberrys taste is not that strong "it's the sauce that makes it so good."
The Hometown Recipes Holidays book came be purchased by visiting AmericanProfile.com/store or by calling 800-715-6248 or sending a check for $18.95 plus $4.97 shipping and handling to: American Profile, Dept. HOBKA725, P.O. Box 344, Louisiana, MO 63353.
Cranberry Cake with Hot Butter Sauce
Phyllis Willink, Baldwin, Wisconsin
Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh cranberries
Sauce
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup cream or half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9 glass baking pan.
2. To prepare the cake, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Combine the butter and sugar and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add the beaten eggs. Add the milk alternately with the sifted dry ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients; mix well. Stir in the cranberries. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. To prepare the sauce, combine the butter, sugar, cream, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts, about 10 minutes. Serve hot over the cake.
