Nutty Graham Picnic Cake won the 28th Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1978. Recipe on Pillsbury.com by Mrs. Esther Tomich of San Pedro, California. The 33rd winner out of 52 (in case you’re counting and following along with my baking project – 52 Grand Prize Pillsbury Bake-Off Recipes in 52 Weeks). A made-from-scratch cake flavored with graham cracker crumbs, orange zest, cinnamon and nuts. How can you go wrong with those flavors!
Making this cake is not hard at all. You basically dump all of the ingredients in the bowl (except the nuts) and mix it up. Fold in the nuts.
Then pour the batter into a greased tube pan or bundt pan.
Bake at 350°F. for 40-60 minutes and this is what you get. I just love the shape of bundt cakes, don’t you?
I might have doubled the frosting recipe. I have a husband that likes the icing much better than the cake.
The icing is a little different. You heat the brown sugar, milk and butter on the stove just until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the powdered sugar.
This is the perfect slice of cake to enjoy with your afternoon tea or coffee. Or a great excuse to throw a tea party. It’s moist and nutty with a hint of orange and cinnamon.
Nutty Graham Picnic Cake
Ingredients
- Cake
- 2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
- 1 cup 14 squares finely crushed graham crackers or graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup margarine or butter softened
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- Glaze
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 5 teaspoons milk
- 1 tablespoon margarine or butter
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts
Instructions
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Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch tube pan. In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients except nuts; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in 1 cup nuts. Pour batter into greased and floured pan.
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Bake at 350°F. for 40 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan 15 minutes; invert onto serving plate. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.
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In small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, milk and 1 tablespoon margarine; cook over low heat just until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar; blend until smooth. Drizzle over cake; sprinkle with 1/4 cup nuts.
I’m loving this cake so much! I can see why it won! And your hubby has the right idea, frosting is the bomb! 😉
Thanks! 🙂
Looks yummy!!!! Now I’m jealous, I wish I could do this recipe for my kids.