Celebrate with Sister’s Cake!

THAT WOMAN OVER there? That’s Sister Frances. Sister Frances Carr is one of the last Shakers, a religious group that flourished (as much as a celibate sect can) in America in the 19th century. The Shakers, despite their commitment to simplicity and worship, were not above a celebration. So who better, especially in these getting-back-to-basics times, to provide a sisterly, celebratory dessert for The Sister Project’s 3-month blogaversary this week?

Famed for their aesthetic and lifestyle simplicity (not to mention their occasional ecstatic dancing during worship, from whence they derived their nickname), the members of United Society of Believers (the true name of the sect, founded in England in 1747) were also farmers and excellent cooks. Sister Frances published a compendium of Shaker recipes, Shaker Your Plate, more than 20 years ago. Nowadays, only four Shakers, two sisters and two brothers, survive in the last active Shaker community in Maine.

According to Sister Frances, this cake was a favorite of the late Sister Mildred Barker, who was the Maine community’s spiritual leader for several decades. Sister Frances always made it for Sister Mildred on her birthday. (To learn more about Sister Frances, Sister Mildred and the other Shakers, visit this link.)

Sister Frances’ Cheese Cake
(from Shaker Your Plate, United Society of Shakers, 1985)

Though the original recipe doesn’t specify this, best to melt the butter for the crust before combining it with the other ingredients!

1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 pound cream cheese
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pint sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the graham-cracker crumbs, butter, cinnamon and sugar. Press out into spring-form pan. Beat together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Pour into crust and bake for 25 minutes at 350 F. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool slightly, approximately 10 minutes. While the cake is cooling, mix the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour over the cooled cake. Try to have it evenly spread over entire cake. Return to oven and bake at 450 F for 10 minutes.

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