Celebrate Decades of Decadence

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Chocolate War Cake
Frozen Grasshopper Pie

(Family Features) Each decade has its own distinct foods, including desserts. Yet some of these decadent treats – such as southern Lemon Chess Pie from the 1820s, Strawberry Shortcake from the 1850s, or New York’s Black and White Cookies, first baked up in the Roaring 1920s – have stood the test of time.

To celebrate these nostalgic sweets, CanolaInfo’s “Decades of Decadence” recipe collection serves up a delicious trip down memory lane with modern influence by Ellie Krieger, M.S., R.D., host of the Cooking Channel’s “Healthy Appetite.”

“History shaped these desserts and they have stuck around because they are inherently delicious,” she says. “They were driven by the availability of ingredients in their day, advertising by food companies in women’s magazines and advancements in food technology or appliances.”

To boost nutrition and keep saturated fat in check, the recipes are updated with heart-healthy ingredients, such as low-fat yogurt, whole-grain flour and canola oil, which has the least saturated fat and most omega-3 fat of all common culinary oils.

Try this fresh, healthy update on 1930s Pineapple Upside Down Cake, originally invented to take advantage of canned pineapple, which is kept moist and gooey with canola oil. Take a journey back to the ’40s with Chocolate War Cake, a chocolaty indulgence that’s a cinch to make. Or dig into Frozen Grasshopper Pie, a ’50s favorite once home freezers became common, which offers less saturated fat by using canola oil in the crust and reduced-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt in the filling.

For the complete “Decades of Decadence” collection and more recipes from Krieger, visit www.CanolaInfo.org.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 4 to 5 pineapple rings (about 1/4 of whole pineapple) about 1/2 inch thick
• 2 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray bottom of 9-inch, nonstick layer cake pan with canola oil cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, then arrange pineapple rings on top in one layer. Sprinkle chopped ginger pieces in spaces around pineapple rings and in their centers.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. In another medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, canola oil, eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredients until combined. Pour batter over pineapple-brown sugar mixture and bake until top is lightly browned and wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then run knife around cake edges and, using oven mitts, invert cake onto large serving plate.

Serves
Yield 8 servings / Serving size 1 slice

Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Note: Whole-wheat, all-purpose flour can be substituted for whole-wheat pastry flour.

Chocolate War Cake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup natural cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2teaspoon confectioners’ sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch round baking pan, whisk together whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In small bowl or measuring cup, combine water and vinegar.
3. Make well in center of flour mixture in pan and pour canola oil and vanilla extract into well. Pour water-vinegar mixture over top of flour and then stir well to blend all ingredients.
4. Bake until set and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Place cake on rack to cool in pan. Once cool, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Serves
Yield 12 slices / Serving size 1 slice

Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Note: Whole-wheat, all-purpose flour can be substituted for whole-wheat pastry flour.

Frozen Grasshopper Pie

Ingredients

• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cups finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 cups mint chip reduced-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, softened
• 1/3 cup chocolate shavings

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch pie dish with canola oil cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl, mix cookie crumbs and canola oil until combined, then press mixture into prepared pie dish. Bake until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
3. In large bowl, place softened ice cream and mix well until uniform texture forms, similar to soft-serve ice cream. Fill cooled pie crust with ice cream, smoothing out top. Garnish with chocolate shavings, cover with plastic wrap and put back in freezer until solidly frozen, at least 4 hours.
4. When ready to serve, heat knife under hot water and use it to cut pie into slices.

Serves
Yield 8 servings / Serving size 1 slice

Notes, Tips & Suggestions
Note: An ice cream or frozen yogurt without green food coloring is recommended. To make chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler to peel strips from a thick block of chocolate. If the chocolate crumbles as you make the shavings, put it in the microwave at 10-second intervals to soften it slightly.

SOURCE:
CanolaInfo