Gumdrop Crinkle Cakes

I've had a couple of requests in recent months for a lunchbox favorite from my childhood here in Newfoundland, crinkle cakes. These little loaf shaped snack cakes are still made in some bakeries here in Newfoundland and as far as I know, take their name from the scalloped-edge paper liners similar to muffin tin liners, traditionally found on the bakery made varieties. A moist tender little pound cake of sorts, crinkle cakes came in raisin, cherry, and Spouse's favorite, gumdrop. 

As we wind our way to the start-up of the school year, I decided to experiment with a couple of recipes to try and replicate these delicious little lunchbox snack cakes. A recipe for crinkle cakes is just about  impossible to find, so I decided to tweak one of my favorite pound cake recipes and they turned out perfectly. The secret is to use all cake flour, real butter and I think, the addition of a little lemon extract really makes them perfect. The three I ate certainly did bring back memories for me.

Makes 8 crinkle cakes

Cream together

3/4 cups butter
1 cup sugar

Add, one at a time, beating well after each addition until light and fluffy:

2 eggs

Blend in:

1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp pure lemon extract

Sift together

1  ½ cups cake flour (or pastry flour)
1 ½ tsp baking powder

Fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with

½ cup warm, undiluted evaporated milk

beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Fold in:

1 cup baking gumdrops

Bake in greased and floured mini loaf pans or in paper lined muffin tins. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Muffin sized cakes will take only about 15 to 20 minutes. Watch them carefully so they don't overbake.