You'll love the unexpected flavour combo in this great vintage Autumn Refrigerator Cake recipe

It was the appealing, and not overly common, combination of bananas, cinnamon, cloves and marshmallows that drew me instantly to this creative, scrumptious vintage Autumn Refrigerator Cake recipe. I adore each of those ingredients on their own, so I knew that I would likely enjoy this hearty cake once I'd hammered out a version that was gluten and egg free, so that I could safely eat it. Though mine isn't quite as tall, it is otherwise a dead ringer for the one depicted in this photo and really, really hits the spot now the weather has turned chilly and we're all in the mood for oodles of fragrant, stick-to-your ribs food, even when it comes to our dessert choices.

That said, I wouldn't define this as an overly heavy or rich cake. It has a great summer meets fall flavour thanks to the combo of bananas and marshmallows partnered with heady, classic spices and is the sort of cake that would be ideal for all manner of get-togethers, holidays (including Thanksgiving), and everyday meals alike this fall. It's also an excellent choice if you need to, or are cooking for someone who does, avoid chocolate and/or nuts, as both are no where to be seen in this vintage recipe.




{Yum, yum, yum!!! This appealing and easy to make vintage cake recipe forgoes frosting in favour of whipped cream and features a fantastic filling that's bursting with bananas and marshmallows. Vintage recipe image via the Frugal Cafe blog.}



Naturally, by all means skip the shortening and use butter, margarine or a vegetarian butter substitute instead. Though shortening has its rightfully culinary merit and place, objectively very few of us use it often (if at all) any more. By the same token, if you aren't a fan of bananas or don't want to use them here, some canned peaches, apricots, cherries, or blueberries work fabulously as well (just make sure they're very well drained before you add them to the gelatine mixture).

One thing that I would note is that the original recipe states that it serves 12 to 16, which I think is a tad optimistic. Even if you slice it very thin, it would be hard to get more than ten or twelve thin servings out of this cake, and I'd say that it is more apt to serve about eight to ten people, assuming you're not dishing up massive portions.

Aside from the tasty, clever flavours at work in this mid-century dessert, I really like how it looks when you present it. Filling the center with the gelatine, fruit and marshmallows makes for a very lovely presentation that lends an air of sophistication to this cake and instantly boasts the "oooohhhs and ahhhhhs" you're apt to receive when you bring it to the table.

Much as fall's colour palette is by far my very favourite of the year, so too is its culinary offerings and I fall into the camp of those folks who can't get enough of pumpkin and other autumn produce, warm soups and strews, roasted and baked dishes, and all manner of gorgeous, fragrant spices like the cinnamon and gloves in today's great vintage cake recipe, so I'm sure this gem of a dessert will appear on my table year after year come the nippy days of fall.

If you're looking for a new dessert or just want to shake things up, give this absolutely lovely Autumn Refrigerator Cake a spin. It is surprisingly, marvelously delicious!

Serve up a slice of scrumptious 1950s Spice-Berry Cake

"Welcome as the first spring crocus, this cake with the delicate air, is different, delectable, designed for spring menus". So begins the write up for this wonderfully easy, equally tasty 1950s classic spice-berry layer cake, and what an apt description is it. Though we're technically a couple of week's shy of spring's official return, milder weather is started to crop up again for some and will continue to do so for those in the Northern Hemisphere from here on out.

As the icy shackles of winter fall away, one's thoughts come dessert time turn to lighter fair. It may be a touch too soon to dust off the ice cream maker, live on feather light meringues, or opt for chilled fruit salad over everything else, but by the same token, we're beginning to feel like we've had our fill of rich, heavy custards, thick slices of pies, and dense pastries.

Something in between the two - fragrant and satisfying, but not quite a meal unto itself - is called for, and having heard that plea, this terrific cake comes a calling.

{Hailing from the fine folks at A&P (a US chain of supermarkets), this lovely, straightforward, endlessly inviting Spice-Berry Layer Cake is just what our menus need these days, as we leap from the depth of winter into the pleasing warmth of spring's embrace - and menu - once again. Image source.}

This is the kind of cake that does wonders both for causal weeknight desserts and on more formal occasions, such as Easter, May 1st, Mother's Day, wedding or baby showers, or if you're hosting a springtime dinner party - not mention it's natural use as a birthday sweet treat, too.

With its flavourful mixtures of spices, raisins (which you could easily leave out, if you're not a fan), and jam, this is the kind of cake that one feels a touch of the old-fashioned in, so to speak, when you bite into. Most spice cakes (and muffins and cookies) have always held that quality for me. They're homey, inviting, timeless and just as pleasing to the palette as one could ever hope for.

Spring, full on spring, that is, will be here soon enough. For now though, let's give this often overlooked period between winter and spring (which, admittedly, is rarely as gorgeous, romantic or appealing as the sublime days between autumn and fall) a hearty hello care of our kitchens and this great 1950s dessert, as well as others like it that aren't inseparably tied to the either the season we're leaving behind nor the one we're cheerfully hopping into this month.