Mexican Fruit Cake

• 1 c  sugar
• 2 c  flour
• 1 t  baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 20 oz. can crushed pineapple w/juice
• 1 c  chopped pecans or walnuts

Mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in a greased cake pan.

Frosting:

• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2  stick margarine, softened
• 3 c  confectioner’s sugar

Mix well and spread over cooled cake.

This recipe was published by Evelyn Horne in her “What’s Cooking” column in the October, 1993 issue of The American Eagle.  It was served at the Lunar Festival.  Koreshan festival recipes are from, or adapted from,  files at the Koreshan Library/Museum.

Bishop’s Cake

• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 1  1/2  c sifted all purpose flour
• 1 c  granulated sugar
• 1  1/2 t  baking soda
• 1/4  t  salt
• 1/2  c  chocolate chips
• 1 c  walnuts, chopped
• 1 c  dates, chopped
• 1 c  cherries, halved

Combine eggs, sugar, beat well.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Add chocolate chips, nuts and fruits to flour mixture.  Fold into egg mixture, pour into a greased loaf pan with bottom lined with waxed paper.  Bake 1 – 1/2  hours in moderate oven at 325 degrees. Cool and cut, serve like fruit cake.  Serves 8.

This recipe was published in Evelyn Horne’s column “Whats Cooking” in the April, 1999 issue of The American Eagle, from or adapted from files at the Koreshan Museum or recipes shared by friends of The Foundation. 

Florida Meringue Orange Pudding

• 6 large oranges
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2 c  milk
• 3 T  cornstarch
• 1/4  t  salt
• 3 eggs, separated
• 6 T  confectioners sugar

Grate half of rind from 1 orange and set aside.  Peel and section oranges; place in a 1  1/2  quart casserole; sprinkle with 1/4  c sugar.  Scald 1  1/2  cups milk in top of double boiler.  Mix remaining sugar with cornstarch and salt;  stir in remaining milk.  Add slightly beaten egg yolks, pour slowly into scalded milk, cook until thickened, stirring constantly.  Cool and pour over oranges.

Make meringue by beating salted egg whites until stiff but not dry; beat in confectioners sugar and grated orange rind.  Pile lightly on pudding.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until delicately browned.  Cool and chill in refrigerator for several hours before serving.  Makes 6 servings.

This recipe was published by Evelyn Horne in her “What’s Cooking” column in the April, 1999 issue of The American Eagle.  One of the recipes from or adapted from files at the Koreshan Museum or a recipe shared by friends of The Foundation.

Guavas And Dumplings

Choose firm, ripe Ruby Guavas, about 20.  Wash, peel, cut in-half and remove seeds.  Place in a large, 10 quart kettle.  Add 2 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Dumplings:  Mix 2 cups of any baking mix with 2 cups cold milk.  Mix well.  Drop by tablespoon into hot fruit mixture.  Cook for 30 minutes on simmer, covered.  Add 1 Tablespoon of butter.  Serve either warm or cold.  Serves 12.

Koreshan festival recipes are from, or adapted from, files at the Koreshan Library/ Museum.  This recipe was published by Evelyn Horne in her “What’s Cooking” column in the April, 1992 issue of The American Eagle.

Old-Fashioned Egg Custard Pie

• 1  9- inch pie shell, unbaked
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t vanilla 
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 2 1/2 c milk, scalded
• 1/4 t nutmeg

Chill pie shell while making the filling.  Blend eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extract.  Gradually stir in scalded milk.  Pour into pie shell, sprinkle with nutmeg.  Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.   Always have a pan of water in the bottom of oven.  Cool on cooling rack for 30 minutes, then chill.  note:  This is one of the very easiest pies to make.  Can be made in a hurry.

Sister Ida Fischer often baked four at a time in her wood stove oven.    This pie was a favorite among the Koreshan brothers.

Fruit Bars

• 1 c brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 c chopped walnuts
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t  baking powder
• 1 lb. chopped dates
• 1 c  plain flour

Whip sugar and eggs until very light.  Mix part of the flour in the nuts and dates.  Mix salt, flour and baking powder together and add to batter, mixing thoroughly; add nuts and dates.  Pour batter in long greased tins.  Bake 20 – 30 minutes.  Cut into bars 2 x 3 inches and roll in powdered sugar.  Makes 20 bars.

From The American Eagle, 1925 August Issue.  The Koreshan family had to bake in big quantities, the recipe was for 100 bars, using 15 eggs, 5 c sugar, 1 t salt, 5 lbs. chopped dates, 5 c flour and 3 1/2 t baking powder.  (This recipe was published by Evelyn Horne in the Oct., 1994, Issue of the American Eagle.)

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

• 4  1 oz. squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 c hot water
• 2 eggs beatem
• 2 c sugar
• 1- 8 oz. carton sour cream
• 2 t vanilla
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt

Combine chocolate and hot water in a small saucepan; place over low heat, stirring until chocolate melts.  Remove from heat, and set aside.

Combine eggs and sugar in a medium mixing bowl, mixing well; sift together flour, baking soda and salt; add dry ingredients to egg mixture blending well.   Add sour cream, chocolate mixture and vanilla, mixing well.  Pour into 2 greased and floured 8-in. round cake pans.  Bake at 300 degrees for 55 minutes.  Cool before removing from pans.  Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.  Yield: one 2-layer cake.

Velvety Chocolate Frosting:

• 1/2 c butter or margarine
• 1/4 c plus 2 T milk
• 1/4 c cocoa
• 1  16-oz. package powered sugar

Combine butter, milk and cocoa in a saucepan; bring to a boil.  Remove from heat; add powdered sugar, stirring well. Yield:  enough for one 2-layer cake.  Decorate with colored jelly bean eggs.

This chocolate cake was a favorite of Sister Ida Fischer.

Old Fashioned Coconut Cake

• 3/4 c butter
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 4 egg yolks (use whites in frosting)
• 4 c sifted flour
• 4 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 c grated coconut, fresh, frozen or canned
• 1 c milk
• 1 t vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream butter, egg yolks and sugar with a wooden spoon.  Add dry ingredients, folding well.

Stir in coconut and milk.  Beat well and add vanilla.  Grease 2 nine-inch round cake pans.  Pour in cake mixture and bake at 375 degrees about 30 minutes.   Serves at least 8.

Let cool and frost with 7-minute Frosting.

7 Minute Frosting:

• 2 c sugar
• 1/2 c water
• 4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1 c grated and toasted coconut

Combine water and sugar in heavy saucepan and boil until syrup spins a thread.  In mixing bowl, whip egg whites until stiff.  Pour hot syrup over whites slowly.  Beat until stiff enough to spread between layers and over cake.  Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes.

This cake was a special treat for Solar Festivals and was made with fresh coconut.  It was served with ice cream for the gala occasion of the Founder’s birthday.

The cook was Ida Fisher, always assisted by Vesta Newcomb, Florence Graham and  L. W.  Bubbet, later to become president of the Koreshan Unity.

Deep Dish Mango Pie

• 3 to 4 c  sliced mangoes, not fully ripe, quite firm
• juice of 1 lemon or Key line
• 1 c Florida honey
• 2 T flour
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 2 T butter

Peel and slice mangoes.  Sift flour and spices over fruit and stir lightly.  Place in a deep 9 inch unbaked pie shell.  Pour honey and lemon juice over top, dot with butter.  Cover with a vented top crust and bake at 400 degrees about 40 minutes.

This recipe was a favorite among the Koreshan women.  Try it the first of the mango season this year.

Lemon Chess Pie

• 2 c  sugar
• 1/4//c milk
• 1 T all-purpose flour
• 1 T white cream corn meal
• 1 T grated lemon peel
• 1/2  c lemon juice
• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 1/4  c melted butter
• 9 inch unbaked pie shell
• Whipped cream and lemon slices(garnish)

Put sugar, flour and corn meal in a large mixing bowl, toss lightly with fork.  Add eggs, melted butter, milk, lemon juice and peel.  Beat until smooth and thoroughly blended.  Pour into unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 350 degrees and 35 – 40 minutes until top is golden brown.

Evelyn Horne wrote in 1996: “This is an old fashioned recipe.   The Koreshan cook, Ida Fisher, baked it for the Koreshan family.  I had forgotten all about it and recently found it at Morrison’s Cafeteria.  I came home and searched for a few days in my wonderful collection of recipes.  Found it, and here it is.  Try it… you don’t even need an electric mixer!  It’s also in “Kentucky Kitchens, Chapter 32, Favorite Recipes of Telephone Pioneers”.“