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Platz

20 years ago our youngest daughter sang in the
Pacific Mennonite Children's Choir.
She brought this recipe home after having it at one of the other choir members homes.
Her note on the hand written recipe said,
VERY GOOD LIGHT CAKE.
She was right.
Here I have used blackberries, but you could also use,
blueberries, plums, apricots or peaches.
Ingredients - for cake
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup Crisco shortening
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • fruit to cover cake, fresh or frozen
Ingredients - for topping

  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Method:
  1. Beat together eggs and sugar until creamy. Add Crisco and beat well.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and beat just until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
  3. Dump batter into a small greased cookie sheet. Top generously with fresh or frozen fruit.
  4. To make crumble topping, stir together flour and sugar. Cut in butter until it becomes small crumbly pieces. Sprinkle with vanilla and toss with hands, then immediately sprinkle over fruit.
  5. Bake in 350ยบ oven for 25-30 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.



18 comments:

  1. oh my! There's a river of drool. This looks so delicious!

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  2. Ciero. Jelly Roll size....I think. Kathy will correct me if I'm wrong.

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  3. I make this quite often with cranberries too... it's delish!

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  4. Yes...a jelly roll pan.....these are always great questions.
    For the one in the photo I have two small fluted flan pans with removable bottoms that I divided the batter between, as I wanted it to look a little more elegant on the table for serving, rather than just serving it out of the pan. It's fun to experiment with different pans when baking....try it!:):)

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  5. We love platz! Our favourite is plum but mango is really delish. I have also made it in a 9x13 (to deal with the extra juiciness) with apple pie filling that I had in the freezer. Fantastic!

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  6. For the two of us I've made this in pie plates - divide everything equally and adjust the baking time. One to enjoy with the coffee in the afternoon and 3 for the freezer!

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  7. I make platz all the time and I find a great combination of flavours to be fresh bc cherries and fresh mango. I have to admit, I quite enjoy the canned cherry pie filling topping as well (that was an old stand-by for sunday morning coffee at first mennonite church, in winnipeg)

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  8. Do I have to use shortening? I don't buy it. I'd substitute butter but wonder if there's some reason you say shortening.

    Sharon

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  9. Lovely presentation! I've also make it with rhubarb. I use margerine or butter and it turns out great! Love platz - my recipe is a bit different..I'll have to try this one!

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  10. I think MGCC should have a Platz post, with all the varying recipes. It would be so great for all us non-MGs.

    (I'm always thinking of extra work for these poor women!)

    Sharon

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  11. hi KATHY THIS IS REALLY GOOD,MADE IT AND LOVE IT!!!\:) LOVE U GIRLS,,,

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  12. Thanks for clearing up the size issue. Although the jelly roll pan I have is not considered small. Guess I'll try it and see if it works. I'll just watch the oven as it bakes. Isn't it interesting the differences in generic terms like small cookie sheet. We have all grown up with different things and then you throw in the Canadian/American difference in ingredients sometimes...gets a bit tricky. But I so enjoy coming here for ideas. Thanks ladies.

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  13. Sharon, shortening is 100% fat, butter only 80%. You can sub shortening and lard 1:1; I use organic palm oil shortening (sold at Whole Foods) as my daughter is allergic to soy. If you use butter you need to increase it by 20% and decrease the liquid. It can be tricky. You can also use oil 1:1 for shortening in many recipes, and it might work in this one.

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  14. I made this with homemade cranberry sauce in a 9x13 and it turned out excellent!

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  15. Had blackberries in freezer so I tried this Sunday morning using a 9.5 x 14.5 jelly roll pan. As recommended, I scattered the frozen berries on top of batter, baked up picture perfect with a wonderful not too sweet flavor. Cake was tender yet dense enough to hold its' shape nicely when serving. I especially like that this cake bakes flat, allowing the fruit to shine through for a stunning presentation. Thanks for sharing this recipe, looking forward to trying many more fruits and maybe a pie filling in the future!

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    Replies
    1. Always enjoying hearing from our readers. I baked this just this past week again too and it's always wonderful.

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  16. do you put the plums in skin side up or down

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