Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes, History in the Making

Before and during the Great Depression, many women came from southern states to Texas with their husbands and began families. Each brought choice recipes—some they’d memorized from being made so often, and others were hand-written and given to a newlywed by a mom or friends. Southern Tea Cakes take first place in the hearts of many Texas Hill Country residents. The following recipe made its way to Texas from Alabama in the early years before 1934.

Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup butter

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ cup buttermilk

4 cups flour

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Chill for at least two hours. Roll dough 1/8 inch think, sprinkle with sugar. Cut into small cakes. Bake at 375˚ for 7 to 8 minutes.

Try some of these traditional favorites and let the Texas Hill Country staff know if you like them. Do you have an “ancient” family recipe? There are none any better than those tried and true delicacies. Don’t forget to pass them down for the next generation of Texans.