Avocado Cake (recipe)

My grandparent’s farm was in Southern California, east of San Diego. The side of their property, or maybe it was the next farm over, was filled with avocado trees, a giant orchard. Unfortunately, my palate was not advanced enough at age 5 to take advantage of all those avocados, but fortunately, as I matured, so did my taste buds and now avocados are a favorite.

This recipe came to my Grandmother from Letha Finch, a nearby neighbor.

Avocado Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed avocado
• 2 2/3 cups sifted flour
• 3/4 teaspoon each allspice, cinnamon, salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soda
• 3/4 cup sour milk (add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to sweet milk)
• 3/4 cup each raisins and chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, beating well after each addition. Add avocado, mix well.

Mix dry ingredients. Dissolve soda in sour milk. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to avocado mixture. Mix well.

Stir in fruit and nuts. Pour into 2 greased 9″ loaf pans. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

Bake at 350F for 1 hour 20 minutes.

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