Coffee Can Pumpkin Cake

One of my fondest memories in college centered around the post office on campus and the occasional box from home.  I never knew what to expect.  One time it might be clothes for the winter that I had left home while on vacation.  On a couple of occasions, it was a book for a class that I had taken home for a project.  What I loved to see most was four to eight coffee cans.  This might seem odd to some but this was one box I made sure I took to the dorm in secrecy.  If not, it lasted fifteen minutes.  Inside those cans was gold from a college student's viewpoint.  I knew that once my roommates and floor-mates heard about them they would be empty.  So, I carefully removed at couple of the cans and hid them in the trunk of the car before taking the box to the room.  Then, in the presence of my roommate and several others who managed to walk by at the time, I carefully opened the box to reveal my prize - Pumpkin Cake.

Over the years, while in college and graduate school, my mom would send those coffee can cakes with regularity.  So much so, that it was eventually impossible to sneak any into the dorm.  The guys practically knew when they were coming.  Frankly, I think they had a spy in the campus post office, although I could never prove it.

Four years ago my mother had a stroke and can't cook any longer.  But I still remember the joy she gave an entire floor of O. C. Bailey dorm at Ouachita Baptist University over forty years ago.  They even showed up when my wife and I were overseas.  Thanks Mom.

Mom's Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup water
1 cup chopped nuts (I prefer walnut or pecans)
1 cup chopped dates (buy whole dates and cut up - cut dates are usually sugared)

Sift together the dry ingredients and stir until mixed.  In a separate bowl mix the pumpkin, eggs, oil and water.  Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients.  Fold in the nuts and dates.

Grease and flour 4 - 1 lb coffee cans.  Fill half full with batter.

Bake 1 hour 20 minutes at 350 degrees on the bottom rack of the oven.

Allow to cool completely and top with the plastic cover from the coffee can.  They can then be shipped to your loved ones, whether in college or wherever.

Enjoy and make memories.