Seventies Summer: Potlucks Part Two

/ Jessica

Do you like peanut butter? I mean really, really like peanut butter? 

If so, you’re going to love this! 

We were invited to our first potluck of the summer and the first recipe I chose to make I shared in “Seventies Summer: Potlucks: Part One” which is grandma Wilma’s Rice Krispie Balls. 

I also decided to make this amazingly, fabulous recipe I got from a friend of a friend about 15 years ago for Peanut Butter Cake. 

I have been gluten free over a year, it’s been a loooong time since I’ve had cake. I’ve never bought one before, but I thought I’d try a gluten free flour blend and see if I had any luck making this cake. 

Oh. My. Goodness. It is AMAZING! So, so good! I didn’t even frost it and it is so delicious. If you are gluten free, this recipe is very doable. 

Original Recipe- Peanut Butter Cake by Millie Henderson

Bring to boil: 

  • 1 and 1/2 sticks oleo
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup water

Pour over:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar 
  • 1 tsp. soda
  • 1 tsp. salt

Mix in:

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Bake 350 degrees 15 to 20 minutes in a greased and floured sheet cake pan.

Icing:

Bring to a boil:

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter 
  • 1 stick oleo
  • 6 TBS. milk

Pour over and mix until smooth:

  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 lb. or 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup nuts optional 

Use chunky peanut butter instead of adding nuts. 

* for the gluten free version, I used 2 cups Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour Blend. I also used 2 cups cane sugar in place of the regular sugar in the gluten free cake. 

* For both cakes, I use a 9×13 pan. The bake time on the original was about 30 minutes. I had to increase bake time on the gluten free to 42 minutes. 

* I used coconut milk for the frosting because of dietary restrictions. 

I’ve only shared this recipe with one person since I got it. Sharing with you makes me smile because people love this cake! As far as potlucks go, it’ll make ya kind of famous! Everybody always asks for more. 

P.S. Can you guess which cake is mine???

28 thoughts on “Seventies Summer: Potlucks Part Two”

      • Sorry hun, I totally forgot to reply!

        I’ve never liked bread or pasta, so I never thought I could actually have Celiac disease (I had no idea what it was back then). But looking back I think I poisoned myself with a supermarket own-brand cola. I really loved that cola. It tasted just like the real Coke, but it didn’t make my teeth feel fuzzy. And it was really cheap! But the problem was the caramel colouring – .it contained barley malt. Lots of it! So even though I didn’t eat pasta or bread, I was totally ‘glutened’, I looked sick and I was sick. It took me almost two years to figure out what it was, and even though the idiot doctors said it couldn’t be gluten, I’m glad I insisted on blood tests and a biopsy – and I was right! But I still have issues absorbing certain vitamins from food or supplements and I get regular B12 shots because of this…

        I’ve never heard of an allergy to corn (even though I know anything can cause an allergic reaction) – so I looked it up. Yikes, corn can do a lot of damage if your body doesn’t agree with it! :(

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  2. This looks scrummy! The only person I knew who ever used the word Oleo was my mother-in-law. She was born in 1914. We don’t hear that word often nowadays. I used to make my own peanut butter as well. Simply put peanuts in the Cuisinart and blend until the desired consistency. I sometimes added oil, but no salt, and we all got used to that easily. It’s really good, too. Thanks for posting this recipe, Jess. :)

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    • Hi Karen! Yes, I’m afraid Oleo is a long lost word. Only used in old home recipes. Love that your mother-in-law said it. It’s a big Iowa word too. :)

      Thanks for the tips about making peanut butter. I’ll have to try that. Let me know if you try this one, hey, I bet it’s go really great with Rolos!

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    • Hi! That’s a great question about Almond Butter. I haven’t tried that yet. I’m going to play around with the recipe and see if I can come up with a healthier alternative. I hope to cut the sugar content because the flour blend has so many carbs. :) I’ll try almond butter and see if it works. As long as it can boil, it ought to work. Peanut butter does break down somewhat at boiling point.

      I’m excited for you to get your new kitchen! Your whole house is going to be simply gorgeous! Excited for you! :)

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        • Oh, I know! It’s crazy high. Maybe I’ll look up trying to find a coconut flour blend of some sort. I’ve tried making coconut flour/ almond flour recipes and they always flop. :) Maybe I’ll get lucky one of these days. The blend I used in this has high white rice flour, tapioca flour, and the doozy- potato starch. :) But, I don’t ever eat cake, so it was a fun splurge.

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  5. Oh my gosh! That looks SO good. Any recipe with 2 1/2 sticks of oleo (BUTTER) and 1 cup peanut butter, I’m all in! I absolutely love peanut butter. I grind my own from dry roasted and don’t add any salt or anything to it, just pure pb. Wylie (toy Aussie) and I share and apple and peanut butter every day!
    I love the handwritten recipe and the word “oleo” is becoming a thing of the past. I’m going to frame some of my grandmother’s and mom’s recipes and display them in my kitchen (sure do miss those amazing women!).
    Can’t wait to make this!
    I just realized I hadn’t been “following” you. I thought I was, no wonder I had been missing out on your post……….not any more

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    • Ooooh girl, you are going to be in LOVE with this cake! You are right about the amount of oleo and peanut butter! Bound to be moist! Ha!

      Ok, I love that you grind your own peanut butter. Very cool. What do you use for a grinder? How sweet that you two share every day! :)

      I know what you mean about missing some amazing women. Love your idea to frame their recipes. I may do that, too.

      I wonder if something is up with WordPress. Another gal said the same thing. I also heard there’s been issues with people’s comments showing up in spam that aren’t spam. I know you were following me before. I saw it a long time ago. I remember it. :)

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