As a small child, I fondly remember playing outside on cold, snowy winter days and smelling the delicate cinnamon aroma of the freshly-baked Snippy Doodle. Excitedly, I would come indoors and anxiously await a glass of milk or hot chocolate and a warm square of this delicious tea cake.
Everyone knows Snickerdoodle cookies, but Snippy Doodles seems a mystery to many. This recipe was in the 1940s editions of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. Many people who grew up in the 40s and 50s have written to say they remember Snippy Doodles. Most have been searching for this fondly-remembered recipe for years. I am so happy that I wrote this recipe down before leaving my childhood home, as it is definitely one of my childhood favorites. The Snippy Doodle cake is a wonderful treat for anytime of the year, but I am partial to it in winter. I usually double the recipe because my family seems to devour it in minutes. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons shortening
2/3 cup sugar (granulated)
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Additional: approximately 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for sprinkling on top of cake
Directions
Preheat oven: 350 degrees.
Sift the dry ingredients together: flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Cream the sugar and shortening together in a mixing bowl. Pour milk into a small bowl. Add egg to the milk. With a fork or hand eggbeater, beat the milk and egg until they are well blended. Alternating the two, slowly add the sifted dry ingredients and the milk/egg mixture to the creamed sugar and shortening mixture. Blend well each time an addition has been made to the creamed mixture.
Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan and then lightly coat the bottom and sides of the pan with flour (use less than a tablespoon of flour to do this). Tap or shake out all excess flour from the pan. Pour the batter into the pan. Spread and level it out.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven, setting the timer for 15 minutes. When the timer rings, lightly sprinkle the additional sugar over the top of the cake (pull out the oven rack in order to sprinkle sugar on the cake). Continue baking for 10 minutes. When cool, cut cake into two-inch squares.
