Buy the ingredients to make a birthday cake with your children for Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. This is a tradition I’ve adopted from my husband’s family. His mom always whips together a moist and delicious plum cake (with the help of my oldest daughter, of course). It’s a light dessert to top off Christmas Eve dinner, and it’s even better on Christmas morning accompanied by a cup of hot coffee.
While you’re at the grocery store, pick up some groceries for someone who has a hard time getting out of the house right now (maybe a friend who has recently had a baby or an elderly neighbor).
Baby Jesus Birthday Cake
1 cup of canola oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
3 eggs
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 small (or 1 large) jars of plum with tapioca baby food (this type of baby food has become increasingly more difficult to find, so we’ve successfully substituted other kinds of baby food with plum in it such as plum-apple as well as prune baby food.)
Optional: Add 1/2 cup raisins or dates and/or 1 cup chopped pecans. You can also dust the cake with powdered sugar.
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix all the ingredients together.
3. Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan. Pour batter into pan.
4. Bake for 60-65 minutes.
My family has enjoyed this cake for over 30 years. The baby food can be replaced. Start with one can of Oregon brand plums in heavy syrup. Blend in the blender or with a handheld mixer. Then add 2 Tablespoons of instant tapioca, and cook according to package directions. This makes the same amount as two jars of baby food. I actually measured it! Enjoy.
Sally