Welcome to the Neighborhood

My neighbors have seen a flurry of activity at the house over the past month. On the heels of the sellers moving out, I had the gas, water and cable guys here, then painters, paperhangers, electricians, my movers, and last but not least the landscaper.

Coincidentally on my birthday, Debbie, a neighbor across the street, walked over and said, "Welcome to the neighborhood--I baked you a Coca Cola Cake!" I've never heard of that before, and she said "It's a Southern thing." I was wowed, awed and felt really quite special and welcomed! I thanked her and said my cousin Chris was coming down from Connecticut to celebrate my birthday...so her timing was perfect.

I dug up the recipe on the Coca Cola website. It probably dates to the 1950's. I can tell you that it goes very nicely with Southern hospitality, and a cold glass of milk!

Cake:


2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups small marshmallows

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons cocoa

1 cup Coca-Cola®

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons cocoa

6 tablespoons Coca-Cola

1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, sift sugar and flour. Add marsh- mallows. In

saucepan, mix butter, oil, cocoa, and Coca-Cola. Bring to a boil and pour over dry

ingredients; blend well. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk just before adding to

batter along with eggs and vanilla extract, mixing well. Pour into a well-greased 9-

by-13-inch pan and bake 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and frost

immediately.

To make frosting, combine butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola in a saucepan. Bring to a

boil and pour over confectioners' sugar, blending well. Add vanilla extract and

pecans. Spread over hot cake. When cool, cut into squares and serve.

*The cake recipe was contributed by Lee Avery Catts to "Atlanta Cooknotes"

published by The Junior League of Atlanta.