Bible Cake

I already wrote about the Bible Cake in my previous post on the Edible Book Contest and also posted the pics with a promise to share the recipe in my next post. I found three or four different variations for this cake on the internet but wasn't able to zero in on any single one. So finally what I made was a mish-mash of ingredients from multiple recipes. The resulting cake was awesome.

Bible Cake
Ingredients
3/4 C      Butter
1&1/2 C Sugar
5 Nos.    Eggs
3 C        Flour
3 tsp      Salt
3 tsp      Baking Powder * Referred as Levain in the Bible verses
1 tsp     Cinnamon Pdr
1 tsp     Mix Spices Pdr  (Nutmeg, cloves, ginger and all spice)
1/2 C    Milk * Add more if required
1/2 C    Almonds Crushed coarsely
3/4 C    Figs chopped * I soaked them in water and pureed them
3/4 C    Raisins
2 tbsp   Honey

Implements / Utensils Required
Mixing Bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Cake Tin either 1 10 inch or 2 9*5 loaf tins

Method
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and Flour a 10 inch cake tin.
2. Sieve flour, salt, bakking powder, spices and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Then add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Beat till a thick custard consistency is reached.
4. Then add dry ingredients in three or four additions mixing well after each addition.
5. If you feel that mixing is getting difficult add milk in between the mixing. Once both the dry and wet ingredients are mixed, fold in the almonds, raisins and fig puree. Add honey and mix. Adjust the liquid consistency of batter as needed by adding more milk if needed.
6. Pour into a prepared cake tin and bake for almost 55 to 60 mins or till a tester comes out clean.
7. Let cool for 5-10 mins before attempting to remove from the pan and onto a cooling rack

For the contest, I had used chocolate buttercream icing and white butter cream icing to give the appearance of the cover of the book and its pages. However, this cake tastes just as good with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or a drizzle of honey. Read about the history of the cake and actual Bible verses here: http://www.abetterhope.com/funpage.html

Edible Book Contest

On Saturday, April 16, 2011, our Mount Laurel Library held its Second Annual Edible Book Contest. Well when I read the brochures inviting patrons to participate in the contest - I went almost like "Edible Book Contest What is that!!!!".  Rules and details here:
http://events.mtlaurel.lib.nj.us/evanced/lib/emailevent.asp?action=Email&ID=3351&LangType=0

Then I got onto doing some R & D yeah the techie in me urges me to google
everything before accepting it ;) and true to it's word, the Google God gave me the answers in the form of a myriad of links filled with information. According to the information I found, Edible Book festival has been held internationally since the year 2000. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_Book_Festival

The event had already caught my fancy and I had an idea albeit an half baked one emerging based on an Indian cookbook by the name of Spice Box. Despite that I decided to google out and find out more ideas and if possible photographs to compare notes to take ideas and inspiration for the contest. And I stuck gold - I came across Bible or Scripture Cake. The cake was made entirely out of the items listed in the Bible. Now that I found to be very very interesting and I couldn't shake of the idea of making it. I found myself at crossroads on one hand was an absolutely original idea that had stuck me the minute I decided to participate in the contest and the other hand was the Bible Cake. In the end, I decided to participate with two entries. Then to my horror I forgot to register for the event before the registration deadline. I was not sure I would be allowed afterall the event was on the morrow. I took my chance and spoke to the librarian. She was very kind and said that they still had a few open places and she can put my name as a participant. Phew!!! I breathed a sigh of relief and set-out for the event to be held the next day.

I participated with both the entries - Spice Box and Bible Cake

Spice Box made with hash brown potatoes for the box base, roasted potatoes were the seven cups of the spice box and each cup was filled with paneer flavoured with a single spice.

And the next entry was Bible Cake made from Flour, Eggs, Figs, Almonds, Spices and a few other things. I will post the complete recipe in the next post till then here are the pictures.

For photos of all participating entries please check out the library Flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23684224@N08/sets/72157626401483865/

This event was also covered by the local newspaper:

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/burlington_county_times_news/edible-books/collection_1e4552c8-69bd-11e0-b3d6-001a4bcf6878.html