One of our sponsors - Grocery Express - had a contest for the neighbors to send in recipes using Vernors, Faygo, Better Made or Sanders products t promote one of their websites: Vernors.com. Congratulations go to Sue Freedland of Northville whose winning recipe is below. Our thanks to all of you who sent in recipes. As space permits, we'll publish more of them in future Menu Minders. If you go to groceries-express.com you can have groceries sent right to your home! If you don't go on line, call toll free: 1-800-476-2397.

VERNOR'S SPICE CAKE (Sue Freedland's Winning Recipe for The Vernors.com Contest)

1 c. unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 c. light brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 t. rum extract
1 c. Vernor's ginger ale
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 T. cinnamon
1/4 t. ginger
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
3 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a (9x13 inch) pan or a (10 inch) tube or Bundt pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Blend in eggs, vanilla and rum extract. Add Vernor's. In another large bowl toss together the dry ingredients. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when lightly pressed (45 minutes for sheet pan and 60 minutes for the tube or Bundt pan). Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Cool thoroughly on a rack. Dust with confectioners sugar. The (9x13 inch) cake may be served from the pan.
(serves 12)

January, 2004, Menu Minder