Dutch Sorghum Cake

If you're looking for a not overly sweet cake with lots of Fall flavors, Lolly presents this one for your consideration! I will post the recipe as given in The Southern Cake Book by Southern Living. However, I used round cake pans instead of square ones as called for and I stacked them on top of each other instead of placing them side by side. I thought it looked great like this. Also, if you're not a date lover, omit them and increase the raisins to 2 cups. But, since I'm not a fan of raisins, I'd switch it the other way and double up on the dates!

1 cup sugar

1 cup shortening

1 cup sorghum syrup

3 large eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. ground ginger

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat sugar and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Stop mixer and add sorghum; beat just until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each blended.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in raisins, dates and pecans. Spoon into two greased (with shortening) and floured 9 inch square pans.

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 45 minutes). Drizzle each cake with Coffee Glaze.

Coffee Glaze

Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 1/2 T. coffee in a small bowl until smooth.  Makes about 1/3 cup.