By Kevin Williams
This is probably a really good, authentic recipe from an Esther Yoder. But she has no instructions with it. None. I am sure Esther had no need for instructions, she can probably make it from memory.
I did compare her ingredients with other recipes of similar style I found online and was able to reconstruct constructions.
This from one of my favorite Amish cookbooks, a collection of recipes from the Kootenai, Montana Amish settlement. I first came across this cookbook over 20 some years ago and I think it showcases the cooking and baking of the Kootenai community very well. It’s a very isolated Amish settlement so they have to make do with whatever is on hand,hence, very simple recipes like this Bonnie Butter Cake.
Esther doesn’t give any suggestions on frosting, but most recipes online do recommend a frosting. I think you’d want one and, if it were me, I’d use this superb Amish Brown Sugar Frosting.
For newcomers to this site, the Kootenai Amish settlement is in the far northwest corner of Montana. The community’s population has waxed and waned over the 40 years or so that it has been in existence. The nearest town of any size is Eureka, although the hamlet of Rexford (a general store and a smattering of houses) maintains a post office, which is why this Amish community is known as the “Rexford settlement.”
A view from the Amish bishop’s home above Rexford, Montana’s Amish community…
- 2 /3 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1 /4 cups milk
- 1 3 /4 cups sugar
- 2 eggs (1 /3 to ½ cup)
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour oblong pan, 13x9x2 inches, or two 9-inch or three 8-inch round layer pans.
- Mix sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 5 minutes. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk on low speed. Pour into pan (s).
- Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, oblong 45-50 minutes, layers 30-35 minutes; cool.
