A copper-tinted recipe box sitting on a ladder bookshelf in my house holds treasures given to me 17 years ago. My grandma hosted a bridal shower for me and invited all her friends to the party. Each of these sweet ladies shared their favorite recipes with me. In the box, I find:

• Greek Cake from Ginny Knauf.
• Rum Cake from F. Davison.
• Chicken Crescent Almondine from Marian Moore.
• Ambrosia Gelatin Mold from Mary Stanley.
• Provincetown Portugese Soup from Millie Carrier.
• Saucepan Cocoa Brownies from Agnes Woodford.
• Italian Chicken from Kitty.
• Texas Sheet Cake from my own Grandma Marge plus many more recipes.

Then I spot a couple of recipes from Myra Brown. At the bottom of her Porcupine Cookies recipe, she wrote:

“I have known your Grandmother Marge for 20 years. We both came to Florida the same year. I go back to Petrosky, Mich. every summer. We have a summer home there and a condo here (Wellington). Marge and I are bridge partners in two marathons.”

On Myra’s Breakfast Casserole recipe, she shares this advice:

A Legacy Worth Passing Down

During a recent call with my grandma, I read her Myra’s advice. Grandma giggled with delight. “Myra was a schoolteacher,” she told me. “I’ve known her for 35 years, and we used to play bridge together. She’s in her 90s and living in a nursing home in Michigan.”

I realize that my little recipe box holds a precious legacy passed down from my grandma’s generation—the love of cooking and baking.

I received these recipes nearly 17 years ago. As a 23-year-old, I don’t think I understood at that time what a treasure they were. But I suppose one of the beauties of aging is we begin to see these seemingly simple gifts as more valuable than most possessions we own.

These recipes can be shared with our family and friends at the dinner table, giving us a chance to grow closer to our loved ones.

And these recipes will last longer than most of the possessions I hold.

My child and his children can enjoy them in their kitchens and even share stories about the earlier generations who introduced the recipes to the family. This is a legacy worth passing down!

Ginny Knauf’s Greek Cake Recipe

With nearly two dozen recipes from my grandma’s generation, I’m looking forward to donning my apron and whipping them up in my kitchen. In fact, I’ve already tried a few of them. I’d love to share one with you today—Greek Cake from Ginny Knauf.

Ginny was a longtime friend of my grandma’s. I remember spending time with her as kid on my visits to Grandma’s house in Florida.

As I read through Ginny’s recipe, I knew this one would be one of the first I’d try for two reasons: I have fond memories of Ginny, and the cake contains coconut.

Living a mile above sea level presents challenges in baking cakes. More times than not, cakes made at this high altitude tend to be dry. So I don’t make cakes often. But when I saw this recipe, I thought I’d give this cake a try. 

And I’m so glad I did! 

This coconut, pineapple, and nut-flavored cake topped with a cream cheese frosting reminded me of carrot cake, with pineapple in lieu of carrots. Moist and flavorful, you can’t go wrong in making this scrumptious cake.

As Myra wisely said:

“Try everything . . . and don’t be afraid to cook!!!”

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

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Greek Cake

A treasured recipe given to me by Ginny Knauf (a precious friend of my grandma’s) at my bridal shower.

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 20-oz can crushed pineapple

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 8-oz package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350^o F. Grease and flour a bundt pan or a 9" x 13" pan.
• In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, coconut, and nuts with a wooden spoon.
  
• In another bowl, mix vanilla, eggs, and crushed pineapple.
• Add wet ingredients to bowl with dry ingredients and mix together, using as minimum strokes as possible.
• Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• To make Cream Cheese Frosting, combine all ingredients (listed above) and beat with mixer until smooth.
• Ice cake with frosting while cake is warm.