Aimee’s Pretty Palate: Just Like Maw Maw’s
My grandmother passed away in December. If you own Picnics, Potlucks & Porch Parties, you’ve likely read about “Little Maw Maw,” affectionately named for her petite size, in that cookbook’s preface. Additionally, the accompanying picnic photo with the gazebo and moss-draped cypress trees tucked in the background was taken on her Mermentau River property, mere steps from her childhood home.
Christmas without her was a struggle. She was known for her holiday treat tray, which was always in the same spot in the kitchen and always included homemade pralines, fudge and candied pecans. Always, without fail. She would explain, time and time again, how her pecan tree in the backyard produced Elliot pecans and they, in her opinion, were superior to all other pecans.
I made a point of having her handwrite her Butterscotch Pralines recipe years ago when I was working on The Traveling Apron cookbook. I knew that one day I would cherish not only her recipe but her handwriting as well. I highly recommend you request that your loved ones do the same.
During periods of grief, I found myself clutching that recipe card and listening to all her saved voicemails. Among them was this one:
“Hey, Aimee. This is your Little Maw Maw. I made the cake on page 86 in your Small Batch Snacking Cake cookbook. I made Pecan Praline Cake, and we love it, but next time I’m going to cut back on the sugar because we gotta watch our sugar. But I like the idea of pouring a pecan syrup on top of the cake, and you don’t have to have that other rich icing.”
The Pecan Praline Cake, ironically, was inspired by her pralines. As were my Pecan Praline King Cake Cookies—the infamous cookie combination that took home the top prize in the Dixie Crystals Bake-Off competition over a decade ago.
You could say that I am to pralines as Forrest Gump is to shrimp and that my love for pralines runs deep. But not as deep as my love for my grandmother.
Sharing her “can’t-miss praline recipe” with you is cathartic, and making her pralines without her being a phone call away during the holidays has been bittersweet. I have found, however, that after years of practice and patience, she didn’t leave without properly passing the praline torch to me beforehand. I am so grateful that “my” pralines taste just like my Little Maw Maw’s and that part of her memory will remain forever. A true gift from a sweet life lived.
Pecan Praline Cake
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
2⁄3 cup buttermilk
For Topping:
¾ cup chopped pecans
½ cup packed light brown sugar
4 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp. water
4 tsp. all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mist 8-in. square baking pan with baking spray and line with parchment.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together granulated sugar, coconut oil and vanilla. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture to oil-sugar mixture, a little at a time and alternating with buttermilk, mixing well after each addition, until just combined.
Scrape batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out mostly clean.
Transfer pan to wire rack, but leave oven on.
Make topping: In a small bowl, mix together pecans, brown sugar, melted butter, water and flour; stir until well combined. Carefully spread topping on slightly cooled cake.
Return cake to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Transfer pan to wire rack to cool completely. Remove cake from pan, discard parchment and cut into 9 squares to serve.
*I like to reserve a bit of the topping, reheat in the microwave and add an additional drizzle just prior to serving.
Makes 1 8-in. cake.
Butterscotch Pralines
1 pkg. (3.5-oz.) butterscotch pudding mix (not instant)
1 cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. butter
1½ cup chopped pecans
(or more if desired)
Mix sugar, pudding mix, milk and butter in a medium saucepan. Cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture boils, about 3-5 minutes. Cook gently, stirring until soft-ball stage (234 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and add nuts. Beat until thickened. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper.
Added note from my grandma: “Do not worry if pralines seem soft. They will firm if left out overnight. This is a can’t-miss praline recipe.”
Makes approximately 2 dozen.
