PORTRAIT #4: Madeline, bearer of Christmas cake
Sweet Madeline served Christmas cake at the 2013 Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church Community Christmas Dinner in Faribault.
I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to photograph this young volunteer draped in what I expect was a vintage apron, delivering cake on a vintage tray.
This isn’t just any old cake. It’s Poke Cake—white cake mix baked, poked with fork tines and flooded with red or green Jell-O, then topped with Cool Whip (or maybe Dream Whip) and sprinkled with red or green sugar. It’s a recipe that’s, oh, so 70s.
I purposely framed this portrait to include a section of the holiday banner, the aged door and the light switch. Those, too, are part of this portrait story from a Minnesota church basement.
This portrait is part of a new series, Minnesota Faces, featured every Friday on Minnesota Prairie Roots.
© Copyright 2015 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Lovely… my mom makes that recipe also :).
My mom used to make it also. Quite common in the 70s, I believe. A friend of mine serves it occasionally at our bible study.
Wonderful 🙂 !!
That cake sounds delicious; I am not sure I have ever had that kind.
If you were older, Dan…
Poke cake, eh? I would certainly give it a try. Is there such a thing as bad cake? I like the holiday banner.
And, for your baking reference, here’s a link to a recipe for Poke Cake: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/gelatin-poke-cake-53184.aspx
Thanks, Audrey. The possibilities are endless!
You are welcome. It’s a super easy recipe, too.
What a cutie. I have never heard of that cake either. We are making one this weekend that has German chocolate cake poked with holes and then drizzled with caramel sauce. Plus cool whip and crunched up candy topping. Yum
Here is the recipe if anyone is interested. https://missyscraftymess.wordpress.com/2014/02/01/better-than-xxx-cake/
Thanks, Missy.
Yes, Madeline is a darling, isn’t she? I know exactly what cake you’re making and it’s delish. Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome. Have a great weekend.
Oh, my! What a treat to see Madeline serving folks poke cake… I remember myself as that young girl so many years ago (born in 1961 and definitely a child of the 70’s!!). Doing good things in the church community, feeling appreciated, being a part of something – a group of like-minded folks. There was a respect in those days – the young respecting and helping out. There was etiquette and manners. There was encouragement and interaction between generations. And that vintage apron… I have a meager collection of vintage aprons. I wear a different one each day, every time I cook. Not many people utilize them any more. They save my clothes… but then we live in a disposable world now so aprons have lost their purpose. Nice post… made me feel all warm and fuzzy! 🙂
And your thoughtful comment makes me feel likewise, all warm and fuzzy.
Aprons seem to have made a comeback in recent years. I am wearing one as I type, taking a break from preparing food for a family gathering.
Love the sign behind her “Peace On” . . . for cake, yes please – Beautiful Capture 🙂 I think I had cake like this growing up, but I do not recall it being called Poke Cake though. Happy Weekend!
I’m pretty certain you had Poke Cake, too, and it may have been called something else.
Jell-O was BIG in our house growing up!
Ours too. Now I usually only eat it if I’m ill, which is seldom.
I cannot remember the last time I ate it – not a fan.
Perfectly lovely!!!! I adore this picture.
Thank you. Madeline is a sweetheart, isn’t she?
OK maybe the cake should be in color and the rest B/W.
If I knew how to do that, I would have. A good idea.
What a sweet looking girl and that apron does look vintage and like it might be a few sizes too big for her. I haven’t heard of that kind of Christmas cake before but it does sound very retro and like the kind of recipe I should post on the 70’s section of my blog xx
Absolutely. Seventies.
Such a sweet little angelic face!…love her name 🙂
Angelic face. I like that.
Great idea with new feature Friday Faces. I look forward to those postings
Thank you, Sue. I thought it would be fun to do this.