TEXAS MAIN STREET PROGRAM RECIPES

The Original TEXAS MAIN STREET CAKE

The late Anice Read, who founded the Texas Main Street Program in 1981, devised a special cake that was taken along when speaking with people or groups she wanted to support the program or whenever there was a special Main Street celebration. That cake became known as the Texas Main Street Cake and many people, ranging from the state Main Street staff to directors of the local programs all across Texas, still use this cake for many important occasions, whether to celebrate the First Lady of Texas coming to town, the achievement of National Recognition or to welcome a new business on Main Street, Texas.

 

Grease 11 x 16” pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake                                                             Icing
2 cups sugar                                                1 stick butter or oleo
2 cups flour                                                  4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter or oleo                                   6 Tablespoons milk
4 Tablespoons cocoa                                  1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
½ cup oil                                                      1 box powdered sugar
1 cup water                                                  1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla


For cake: sift together sugar and flour.  Melt butter, cocoa, oil and water in saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil, the pour over sugar/flour mixture. Beat well. Mix buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour into mixture and beat until well blended. Pour into pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until firm.

For icing: Melt butter, cocoa and milk in saucepan and bring to boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, vanilla and pecans. Blend well and spread over warm cake still in baking pan. Allow to cool, then cut into squares. Cake can be frozen.

TASTE O’ TEXAS TREAT

In 2006, the Texas Main Street Program of the Texas Historical Commission celebrates its 25th anniversary. The late Anice Read, who founded the Texas Main Street Program in 1981, devised a special cake that was taken along when speaking with people or groups she wanted to support the program or whenever there was a special Main Street celebration. That cake became known as the Texas Main Street Cake and many people, ranging from the state Main Street staff to directors of the local programs all across Texas, still use this cake for many important occasions, whether to celebrate the First Lady of Texas coming to town, the achievement of National Recognition or to welcome a new business on Main Street, Texas. This year, as part of the 25th anniversary festivities, the staff of the Texas Main Street office invited managers across Texas to submit a recipe that could join the 25-year old Texas Main Street Cake recipe as another special Main Street treat. Local Main Street directors traveled across Texas to Austin to bring their treats for judging during Manager training in early February. The panel of judges were Kay Harvey-Mosley, Division Director of the Community Heritage Development Division of the THC (of which Texas Main Street is a part); Christi Hester of Southern Living magazine; and Pete Stiles, an amateur chef from Austin. The winning recipe came from the 2006 newly certified Main Street community of Colorado City, Texas and was developed by the county extension agent Mary P. McMullen. It is appropriately named: Taste O’ Texas Treats. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients (dry)

3 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 generous cup, finely ground Texas pecans

2 generous cups finely ground Chili-Cheese Fritos

2 generous cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 scant to generous teaspoon apple pie spice

1 scant to generous teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 scant to generous teaspoon of your favorite Texas brand of chili powder

1 ½ to 2 teaspoons cumin

4-6 grinds of your favorite sea salt

 

Ingredients (wet)

1 lb. Butter, melted

1-2 teaspoons Adams vanilla extract

* Liquid hot pepper sauce to taste (4-8 drops)

 

Directions:

Set oven to 300-325 degrees (adjust to your oven). Use pastry blender to mix all dry ingredients together until they resemble coarse bread crumbs. Melt butter, add vanilla and pepper sauce. Mix well. Combine moist and dry ingredients. Stir well. Knead by hand until dough cleans the side of the bowl. (Dough will look like very thick cookie dough.) Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with a fork to make thin wafers. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and light brown on top. Sprinkle with your favorite paprika. Cool completely on cooling racks and store in airtight container. Makes 5-6 dozen treats. Can serve with a side of jalapeno, mesquite bean or prickly pear jelly.

 

Variations:

  • Pat out dough and cut with your favorite cookie cutters.

  • Make a thumb/spoon print prior to baking and fill prints with jalapeno, mesquite bean or prickly pear jelly or preserves.

  • Serve wafers as an accompaniment to an 8-ounce block of cream cheese covered with your choice of the jellies or preserves.

  • For a more intense and smoky wafer, substitute Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapeno Peppers, 1 generous teaspoon of Chipotle Chile Pepper Powder or 8 drops of Tabasco Chipotle Hot Sauce and sprinkle with sweet smoked paprika.

  • Use roasted and finely ground Texas Peanuts in place of Texas Pecans.

  • Substitute 1 teaspoon garlic or onion salt for sea salt listed above.

  • Substitute brown sugar for white sugar.