Editor’s Note: This year and next, the
Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau has declared a countywide
celebration of foods called FlavorFest. Running from 2006 into 2007, you’ll
find all kinds of food-related events and activities. (Go to
www.padutchcountry.com for more information.) We wanted to be a part of
this by including articles from time to time about the unique foods and
customs in our area. In this first article, we’ll look at a recipe that
seems to combine the food, fun, and values that are important in
Pennsylvania Dutch Country…and beyond.
A couple of years ago,
when email was still something rather new, I received the following
communication over the internet…
“Can you please possibly help me? Many years ago I
came across an Amish recipe for ‘Scripture Cake.’ As you added the
ingredients to make the cake, you would read a verse from the Bible for each
item. I unfortunately lost the recipe I had, and have been searching for it
endlessly. I would like to use this for my weekly Bible class as a project.
I would be very grateful if you can assist me in finding this recipe.”
The email was signed
Brother Ted. Little did he know that he would start quite a series of
events. I visited an Amish friend who did not know of “Scripture Cake,” but
I asked him to spread the word. A week later I heard a neighbor lady knew
about it. But she had to get the recipe from another lady, who was not
Amish. And then, when talking about this at work one day, a co-worker
announced that she had a recipe in a cookbook at home. So now I had two
recipes for Brother Ted.
Recipe #1
The Amish lady told me
that the whole idea behind the Scripture Cake recipe was to find out the
ingredients by looking up the Bible passages and reading them. That’s how
you know what goes in the cake. This is what she gave me…
¾ cup
Judges 5:25 (last part of verse)
2 cups
Jeremiah 6:20 (2nd part)
One whole Isaiah
10:14 (2nd part)
2 tablespoons I
Samuel 14:25 (2nd part)
2 ¼ cups I
Kings 4:22 (1st part)
1 teaspoon Amos
4:5 (1st part)
1 pinch
Leviticus 2:13 (1st part)
1 ¼
cup Judges 4:19 (2nd part)
½ cup
Numbers 17:8 (last part)
1 cup
Nahum 3:12 (1st part)
1 cup I
Samuel 30:11 (2nd part)
Season to taste with
II Chronicles 9:9
Directions: Proverbs
23:14
Recipe #2
My co-worker’s recipe
was in a cookbook published by the Volunteer Fire Company of Forest Lake,
Pennsylvania. It calls for larger quantities, but is essentially the same…
4 ½ cups I
Kings 4:22
1 ½
cup Judges 5:25
2 cups
Jeremiah 6:20
1 cup I
Samuel 30:12
½ cup
Numbers 17:8
1 cup I
Samuel 30:12
1 spoonful
Genesis 24:17
8
Isaiah 10:14
Large spoon of
Proverbs 24:13
A little
Leviticus 2:13
To taste I
Kings 10:2
Follow Solomon’s advice
for making good boys and you will have a good cake (Proverbs 23:14).
Note: Pour boiling
water on the almonds to remove skins. Chop the figs. (Scott Aspling)
Besides embarrassing
myself for not knowing where Nahum was in the Old Testament, I figured out
all the ingredients. The next question was how do you mix them and bake
them? No one seemed to have an answer. Another co-worker who I shared this
information with gave it a try. He did not share his baking time and
temperature, but the resulting cake wasn’t bad, although some chocolate
icing would not have hurt. (Perhaps he had given up chocolate for Lent.)
Anyway, we have at least taste-tested one of these recipes.
For those of you who
don’t have the faith to play along, you will find the answers below...
Scripture Cake
Answers:
Recipe #1
BUTTER, SUGAR, EGG,
HONEY, FLOUR, YEAST, SALT, MILK, ALMONDS, FIGS, WATER. Season to taste with
SPICES.
Recipe #2
FLOUR, BUTTER, SUGAR,
RAISINS, ALMONDS, FIGS, WATER, EGGS, HONEY, SALT,
SWEET SPICES
Directions: Proverbs 23:14 (Well, you
can at least look up ONE!)
