Grandmaw….When I came along Martha America Mayo Pierce was seventy years old. She lost two children in at birth but raised two daughters and six sons. She sent three sons to World War II and suffered through only two coming home. The remains of Lawrence Candler Pierce lie somewhere in Normandy as a result of the invasion at Omaha Beach. I witnessed the effects of that loss for the twelve years I was privileged to love her in this realm. 

Early in my childhood I remember Dad driving Grandmaw to Memphis for throat cancer treatments. Yet, I don’t recall her ever appearing to be sick. Only once or twice did I see her without her hair pulled back in a thick braid and twisted into a tight bun.  I probably did see her without an apron but the image I hold dear is her in a shift dress with a pattern/print apron; and stockings.  Stockings held up with what seemed to a little boy as a fat rubber band. 

I’ve always been chubby. My ”sweet round legs” and ”plump cheeks” were regularly noticed by relatives as well as the occasional passersby in the grocery store. Clearly, I learned to appreciate good food as there were good cooks on both the Pierce and Lambert family trees.  A  very short walk put me next door at the home of Martha and Levi Pierce. It was on that front porch that officers came to tell them the United States would no longer search for the remains of their son. They tried to console Grandmaw by telling her there would be a marker with his name on it at Brittany American Cemetery in Montjoie Saint Martin, France. I had never seen anyone cry the way Grandmaw did. It was a very dark day.

Grandmaw and Grandpaw ate early…no later than five because they went to bed after Walter Cronkite.  I can’t tell you how many times I heard Grandpaw yell back to the kitchen, ”Marthie, is supper ‘bout ready.”  She would invariably resound, ”Levi, it’ll be ready when I gittit on the table.” I attribute my fleshy physique to the fact most nights I ate supper with them; AND next door…at home.  I’m still trying to lose the calories from all those collard green, cornbread and buttermilk suppers. Oh, and fat back.  We had to have meat! She made amazing greens. My greens are good but I don’t think I’ll ever have her touch.

She also made wonderful teacakes and a delicious egg custard pie. I borrow from my counsin Jennifer’s blog Bake or Break as well as Southern Living. They both seem to have Grandmaw’s touch.

However, the one thing I’ve never had anywhere else is her Pineapple Cake…Yellow sponge with a fluffy white icing laced with caramelized pineapple.  After her passing, Mom tried to make it.  Then, I realized the reason I like it so much. The icing was the same Seven Minute Icing Mom made for my birthday cake WITH the caramelized pineapple folded in.  Grandmaw didn’t believe in a mixer.  She mixed everything by hand.  Therefore, her icing would lose it’s stability quickly.  I really didn’t care as all the goodness soaked into the cake layers to the point it was more like pudding. Mom had a stand mixer and a hand mixer.  Her Seven Minute Icing ”stood up to testify.” While I certainly enjoyed Mom’s effort it just wasn’t as good as Grandmaw’s.  Mom was a housewife of the 60’s.  If she saw it advertised in a magazine or on television she tried it.  She was a huge fan of Duncan Hines cake mix…not the brands ”on special” and absolutely not ”off brands”. It had to be Duncan Hines.  She used Duncan Hines yellow cake mix to make her version of the Pineapple Cake.  Grandmaw made hers from scratch. While we asked she never gave us the recipe because she didn’t have one.  She literally cooked by sight and feel.  It’s not a hard cake to make.  However, it’s an emotional challenge for me.  I love every bite but I’ve only made it a couple times…the tears keep the icing from fluffing up.

Grandmaw’s Pineapple Cake

For the Cake

• ½ cup shortening
• 1 ⅔ cups sugar
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ cups liquid…the syrup from a can of pineapple plus buttermilk

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and egg, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla.  Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the pineapple syrup/buttermilk mixture and beat well after each addition. Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

For Caramelized Pineapple

• 1-20 ounce can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, drained; reserve syrup for cake
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar

Mix all ingredients in a heavy bottom pan.  Bring to a boil until liquid has evaporated and the pineapple is caramel colored. 

For the Icing…FYI this is Italian Meringue not Seven Minute Icing…I know Grandmaw and Mom would’ve used this had they known.

• ⅓ cup water
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup Karo syrup
• 3 large egg whites; room temperature
• ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir water, sugar, and corn syrup in a heavy bottom pan.  Cook over medium-high heat. Do not stir as crystals will form. Make sure your mixer bowl and whisk attachment are extremely cleaned of oil, flour or otherwise. Then, add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl. When the syrup reaches 225° begin to beat the egg whites to soft peaks…about 3-4 minutes. When the whites are ready, the sugar syrup should be at 240°F. Remove from heat. With the mixer on medium speed carefully drizzle the syrup into the whites in a slow, thin, steady stream.When the whites and syrup are combined turn mixer to medium high.  Whip for 7-8 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and glossy. Add in vanilla and caramelized pineapple. Continue to whip on medium speed until throughly combined and cooled.

For Assembly

Place one layer on a cake stand and spread with a ½” layer of icing.  Top with second layer and thoroughly cover top and sides. The icing is thick enough to be piped if so desired.

I was their youngest grandchild and they thought I could do no wrong. When Grandmaw realized how much I liked the Pineapple Cake she started making two…one for me and one for everyone else to fight over. Uncle Buford loved the cake, too.  I was glad she started making the second cake because I loved Uncle Buford and wanted him to be able to enjoy it, as well.

Uncle Buford lived in Memphis. He was a sales rep for a cookie company during the week and was also a licensed/ordained minister.  Grandmaw and Grandpaw didn’t go to church but they were so proud to have a son who ”preached the word”.  The best thing about having an uncle who was a cookie rep was Vacation Bible School.  I lived for VBS.  We got to learn new songs…”with motions” aka choreography, do craft projects aka art and have cookies and Kool-Aid. Performing arts, visual arts and food…VBS was FABULOUS!!! Uncle Buford brought amazing cookies.  He had access to new products not yet introduced in Booneville. We had two whole weeks of VBS and it was spectacular.  Oddly enough, store bought cookies were not my thing the rest of the year…only when Uncle Buford brought them for VBS.

Brandt loves cookies…not as much as he likes Graeter’s Ice Cream but we have both on hand for “when the urge hits”. I never said I can’t bake…it’s just not something I enjoy. Precise measuring just seems so tedious. I can hang a gallery wall or do a floral design blindfolded on top of a ladder. But ask me to hang six pieces of art in a grid or do 200 centerpieces exactly the same….it’s excruciating for me and so time consuming. Nevertheless, I can and do bake on occasion.

We found the following recipe in the Byhalia United Methodist Women’s Cookbook. I admit I made it because of the name. You’ll see below I didn’t melt the chocolate. I’m not sure if the “QUICKIE” is supposed to be like a knot…but mine were…which may have something to do with me not following the recipe!!! However, with a glass of milk and the sweet memory of Brandt’s beloved Mom…they didn’t last long.

Auntie… should I get bored with what Mom and Grandmaw cooked all I had to do was call Uncle. Mom’s sister and her husband were known by most people as Auntie (Ain’ty…like dainty without the d) and Uncle. Anytime I wanted to get off Brewer St. all I had to do was call Uncle and he would show up in his Station Wagon. Auntie made an Applesauce Cake which I loved.  Unlike Grandmaw…she didn’t make two.  She only made it for Christmas and she only made it for me. As I grew old enough to verbalize how much I loved it she did start making two.  One right after Thanksgiving and one just before Christmas…both just for me.

Mom was a wonderful cook. She enjoyed baking cakes and pies. She seemed to do it most during the day while we were away.  Coming home to a fresh baked cake or pie was a real joy.  Please know, she was also a meticulous housekeeper. She mopped and/or vacuumed after every meal.  She made all of our beds and we NEVER used a towel twice.  There was always a ”dust towel” at the ready. I sometimes got the weekly chore of dusting baseboards and door facings when ”her back was tired”. She never asked Dad for domestic help as she felt caring for us and our home was HER job.  She made a valiant effort toward making Auntie’s Applesauce Cake but it was never quite the same. It’s only been in recent years that my dear friend Warren shared a recipe with me which has allowed me to once again enjoy Auntie’s cake.

Auntie made her’s in a tube pan but I remember it being taller. Nevertheless, it was delicious. The flavors and memories were overwhelming.

I made the cake again in 2021. This time in a Bundt pan. It was even better. Additionally, the second cake helped me come to realize maybe Auntie only made it for me because I’m the only one who liked it. Brandt and our friends are kind when I serve it…especially when I add a lovely Salted Caramel Sauce. However, no one is asking when I plan to make it again.

Auntie’s Applesauce Cake

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cup black raisins
• 1 ½ cup golden raisins
• 1 ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 ⅔ cups AP flour
• ¾ teaspoon coarse salt
• ¾  teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ½  teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• fresh nutmeg…a couple of passes over a micro plane
• 1 ½ cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Then add eggs and beat until combined. Sprinkle raisins and walnuts with a tablespoon of flour and toss to coat. Whisk together remaining flour with other dry ingredients. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture alternating with applesauce. Reduce to low speed and beat in raisins and nuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

I haven’t made either cake this Christmas. Honestly, with the first three months of the year being focused on rehab the rest of the year has felt like playing catch up. I might get the energy for an Applesauce Cake as writing this makes me really hungry for it.

Happy Holidays from South Main!!!

Here’s hoping your house is lovely and a Merry Christmas is had by all🎄🎄🎄