How to Make Benne Cakes for Kwanzaa
When you are wanting to wish your friends and family a little good luck for the new year, you can't go wrong in serving benne cakes for Kwanzaa! Benne seeds (sesame seeds) are said to bring good luck to those who eat them. Benne cakes are a snack cookie that originated in Africa, making it an ideal choice for Kwanzaa in that regard as well. You'll have fun serving these cookies and explaining their significance to your guests and they will certainly enjoy eating them. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 1/2 tsp. of baking powder
- Cookie sheet
- 1/2 tsp. of fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup of toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup of butter or margarine
- 1/4 tsp. of salt
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. of real vanilla extract
- 1 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 large egg
- A small amount of oil to grease cookie sheet
Instructions
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Make Benne Cakes for Kwanzaa
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1
Prepare your oven by pre-heating it to 325 degrees F, and then grease a cookie sheet lightly. You can use a heavy Crisco cream, vegetable oil or a lighter cooking spray made for baking.
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2
Pour the sesame seeds into an ungreased skillet and toast them for about 10 to 15 minutes, shaking them occasionally so they do not burn. They should be lightly brown and smell fragrant. Set aside to cool before using in this recipe.
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3
Combine the brown sugar and the butter and whip until the mixture has become creamy.
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4
Add the egg, lemon juice and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated. Next, fold in the sesame seeds, flour, salt and baking powder.
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5
Use a small melon scoop to make uniformly sized cakes, then drop the dough onto the greased cookie sheet, at least 2 inches apart.
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6
Bake the cakes for about 15 minutes until the edges have browned and then remove from oven. Let cool slightly before serving.
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1
Tips & Warnings
You can make your benne cakes look more interesting for your Kwanzaa table by using some black sesame seeds in the batter.
Make these cookies ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for a couple of days to save you time during the holiday season.
Do not replace butter with margarine or a butter substitute, as this will thin your recipe's consistency.
