The Prayer Porch

Category: Recipes and Traditions

  • Homemade Oatmeal Bread

    Homemade Oatmeal Bread

    There’s something sacred about the rhythm of baking bread. The quiet moments of mixing, kneading, and waiting as the dough rises. This humble oatmeal loaf was once my daily bread. It is soft and golden. There is just enough molasses to lend a gentle sweetness. It’s not flashy or fussy, but rather the bread that feels like home.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • ½ cup light molasses
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 3/4 cups boiling water
    • ½ cup lukewarm water
    • 1 package (or 2¼ teaspoons) dry yeast
    • 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

    Directions:

    Grease a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan and set aside.

    In a large bowl, combine the oats, salt, molasses, and butter.
    Pour in the boiling water, stir gently, and let the mixture stand for 1 hour to cool and soften.

    In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Let it sit until bubbly, about 5–10 minutes.

    Add the yeast mixture and flour to the cooled oat mixture. Mix well until a sticky dough forms.

    Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

    Place the dough in a well-greased bowl. Cover it with a towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.

    Punch down the dough, and shape into a loaf.

    Place the loaf in the prepared pan and let rise again until doubled.

    Bake in a preheated 350º F oven for 45 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

    Cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

  • Delicious Strawberry Sourdough Cake Recipe

    Delicious Strawberry Sourdough Cake Recipe

    🍓 “Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did.”
    – Dr. William Butler, 17th century


    Ingredients:

    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup sourdough discard (or Greek vanilla yogurt)
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup milk
    • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 lb strawberries, stems removed and halved
    • sugar and cinnamon (for sprinkling on top)

    For the Whipped Cream:

    • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
    • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 350º.
    Prepare a 9-inch round pan by greasing the bottom or lining with parchment paper.

    In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
    Add the sourdough discard (or yogurt), egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

    In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
    Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

    Spread the batter in your prepared pan.
    Top with halved strawberries, cut side down.
    Sprinkle lightly with sugar and cinnamon for a cozy finish.

    Bake at 350ºF for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden.

    In a chilled glass bowl, combine whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla.
    Whip until medium peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

  • 🍎 German Apple Cake

    🍎 German Apple Cake

    This recipe comes from my father-in-law’s father and dates back to the 1940’s. It was a time when home baking was a treasured ritual. Recipes were passed down by hand, heart, and memory.

    During that era, many families in the U.S. found comfort in simple, resourceful cooking. The 1940’s were marked by both the hardship of war and the strength of community. Cakes like this were made with basic pantry staples and the seasonal abundance of apples. They became humble expressions of love, resilience, and gathering.

    Baking this cake now feels like more than just making dessert. It’s continuing a legacy. A quiet way to honor those who came before us, and to create new memories with every warm slice.

    Ingredients:

    • 4–5 apples, sliced
    • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • Cinnamon and sugar (for sprinkling on the apples)
    • Confectioner’s sugar (for dusting after baking)

    Optional: Homemade Whipped Cream

    • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
    • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Directions:

    Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
    Slice the apples and sprinkle them with a cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

    In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until soft and fluffy.
    Add the flour, eggs, baking powder, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix until a soft batter forms.

    Grease a 9-inch Springform pan.
    Spread or press the batter evenly into the bottom of the pan.
    Arrange the apple slices neatly on top of the batter, pressing them in just slightly.

    Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
    Allow to cool, then dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

    🍰 Homemade Whipped Cream (Optional)

    In a chilled bowl, combine the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla.
    Whip until soft-to-medium peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.