A Keeper From the Recipe Box: Sibling Assignment #18

The sibling writing assignment this week with Raymond Pert and Silver Valley Girl: A chapter in my cookbook will be titled “Sibling Memories and Recipes.” Share a favorite recipe/memoir piece for the chapter.

“Good recipes like good books are often those that come to us from someone else, recommended both for what they are and the relevance they hold in our lives.” -L. Critchley and H. Windrath
I love to collect recipes. Sometimes I cut recipes out of the paper or off food containers knowing I may never use them. I just like recipes. I have boxes, files, and baskets of recipes. Some have stories behind them. Some are written in the original writing of the people that shared them. Others remind me of a party or event that it was part of. As I gather around the table with fresh brewed coffee, good conversation, and a group of friends recipes always creep into the conversation.

My mom has a friend See that is a retired home ec teacher. See has a collection of great recipes which she loves to share. When I see a recipe from See lying on Mom’s table I know it will be a keeper. A couple of summers ago the “Honey Bun Cake” recipe appeared on my mother’s table. I guess a sample had been brought over before, but that part was vague. All the people that had tried it raved about the cake.The name stuck with me because it sounded like the song from South Pacific, a favorite family musical:
“A hundred and one pounds of fun,
That's my little honey bun!
Get a load of honey bun tonight.”

I was helping teach a summer writing course for teachers and was in charge of a “treat” for the first day. I was ready to take a risk and make something new and different. The recipe looked easy. The ingredients were available and didn’t need to be purchased at a speciality store. What made the Honey Bun Cake even more memorable was driving to Coeur d' Alene with the warm cake resting next to me in the front seat. The smell was heavenly.

I keep a recipe if people eat it, give favorable feedback, and/or ask for the recipe. The “Honey Bun Cake” was a big hit. Not only did all of it get eaten, but it got favorable feedback and the group asked for the recipe! It is a good dish to serve like coffee cake at a brunch. It goes great with coffee or tea. I am sure it would also work well as a snacking cake. One person said, "with the warm glaze the cake reminded me of a warm Krispy Kreme doughnut."
Last fall I served it at a staff breakfast and got similar reviews. Yes, this one is a keeper. Try it and let me know what you think!

Honey Bun Cake
Mix together:
1 yellow cake mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
Topping: In a smaller bowl mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon,1 cup chopped nuts. Pour half cake batter into a greased 9x13 pan. add half of the topping. Gently swirl with knife and repeat with the other half of batter and topping.
Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Loosen cake and pierce holes all over the top of the cake with toothpick. Pour the glaze below over hot cake.
Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 c. milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine