Funeral Cake

Amish Funeral Cake is topped with a broiled brown-sugar crust and nuts.

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups buttermilk (see note)
Topping (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In mixing bowl, cream butter with both of the sugars for 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract, blending well.

Mix the flour and salt in a separate bowl. Add a little of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until well blended. Stir in a little of the buttermilk. Continue adding the flour and buttermilk, alternating with each addition. When all the flour and buttermilk has been incorporated, pour into prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in the center.

While cake is baking, combine Topping ingredients. When cake is done, remove from oven and change oven setting to broil. Pour topping mixture over the cake and set pan about 8 inches from broiler heat. Broil 3 minutes or until the topping is brown and bubbly. Remove from broiler and cool on a rack.

Makes 12 servings.

Topping:
7 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

NOTE: There is no baking powder or baking soda in this cake.

Per serving: Cal 567 (41% fat) Fat 26 g (14 g sat) Fiber 1 g Chol 62 mg Sodium 575 mg Carb 79 g Calcium 94 mg