Stahlecker House

Napa Valley, California

Heritage Recipe

Five Generation Gum Drop Cake

Ingredients

2 packages of large gum drops (no black ones)

1 package of blonde raisins

1 cup of pecans, cut up and browned in butter

2 cups sugar

1 cup Crisco shortening

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup applesauce

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 Tablespoon cloves

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda in 2 Tablespoons of hot water

Mix together everything but fruit, nuts, and gum drops. Add them last. Pour into loaf pans until 1/2 full. Bake in oven at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Let cool. Slice and serve.

This heritage recipe has been handed down through five generations of the Stahlecker family. It was created by Ethel's great-grandmother, Frances Lyman, many years ago. Baked by grandmother Ethel Arnold, Mother June O'Neal, and Ethel O'Neal Stahlecker and by Ethel's daughter, Amy Stahlecker Belt. Today it is a generational link in the family tree. Ethel can recall the thrill of her mother cutting the cake in slices and see the bright colors of the gum drops. The slices look like Christmas ornaments or Easter eggs. A true heritage recipe that will delight your holiday table.

• Stahlecker House on VirtualCities.com
• Stahlecker House B&B Website
• You found this recipe on 1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook. (www.virtualcities.com)