My precious 26 year old grandson is teaching himself to cook. I will pass this recipe on to him. On Sunday I gave him my Kitchen Aid mixer & my valuable iron skillet. It felt like I passed the baton. Thank u as always.
Oh he’s sooo lucky! I will never be able to afford a KitchenAid mixer. And I’m sure you had one of the older great quality ones, compared to the crap ones they make today.
I made two of these today, using a yellow cake mix AND a lemon cake mix. The lemon was the hands down favorite, served with fresh Michigan strawberries and Redi-Whip!
I'm from Scotland and have never heard of this cake but I'm definitely making it the nxt time I have guests! I also love those church cookbooks the recipes always work.
Hey fellow Scot! It’s funny because we’re probably watching videos of how our Scottish culture evolved once it moved to America. I believe Appalachia has a large amount of people with Scottish heritage.
Also, another fun fact. The Appalachian mountains go all the way to Scotland, and no that’s not a joke. The Scottish highlands and the Appalachian mountains are the same mountains, they were once connected before they drifted apart and the Scottish highlands collided with the rest of Great Britain (the main island on the British isles in case people didn’t know). So people from Scotland who emigrated to America really just moved to a different part of Scotland 😂
My sister made chess cakes often. They are soooo yummy! I now make them and I use the flavor of cake mix that goes with the season. Fall- spice cake Spring- Strawberry Summer- Lemon Winter- Chocolate Chopped pecans in the spice cake is soooo extra yummy. I’m so glad this recipe is still alive! Thank you for your video. Now I want to make one! Hmmmm, I’m thinking white w/ blueberries. Like a muffin.
I've never heard of this. It's almost as easy as church potluck peach cobbler! That's what I always looked for. Three ingredients . Box yellow cake mix, one stick butter and large can of peach slices undrained. 💜
@@CelebratingAppalachia And even though I'm from the Ozarks, the 2 cultures are so similar, yet not treasured as uniquely American in a big enough way. So, THANK YOU!
@@mariebernier3076 They sure are uniquely, American 🇺🇸 I appreciate the way that making videos also preserves our history. Many blessings and returns to you and yours 🤍
I collect church cookbooks. They have the best recipes ever!! You know no lil ole church lady is gonna put her name on a published recipe iffin it ain't the bomb! Best cookbooks ever ❤
What a great hobby! I have a few, I’ve also got a couple from a place I worked where we had branches all over the country. Those types of oookbooks are the ones in my kitchen with the most stains.🥰
I watch several cooking shows but my favorites are those with "home cooks". You ladies know how to get every morsel out of the mixing bowls and off beaters and spoons. That's the way my grandma, mother and aunts taught me to do it.some chefs are so wasteful it makes me want to jump into the TV and show them how it's done.
Appalachian boy here, living in Acapulco! Mexico. Made your chess cake as directed , but added small bags of dehydrated cranberries and blueberries into the cream cheese batter. It was a hit with all my Mexican Friends. Thanks, Take me home country roads, to the place I belong.
My sister gave me that recipe, she didn’t know what it was called, so I’ve always just called it “good cookies” and it was certainly good. The thing I like most about the recipe is that it’s her handwriting, each time I run across it, it just makes me feel like she’s right there with me, although she’s been gone for a very long time.
Lola-I know what you mean! I love the handwritten recipes that I have and the ones from loved ones long since gone make me think of them. Thank you for sharing about your sister.
Bless Your Heart!❤ One Glorious Day, You're Going to be Reunited with Your Beautiful Family in Heaven. Just Keep Holding onto God's Unchanging Hand. Keep Praying, Praising, Trusting and Believing. Love in Christ.❤
@@madibawayne6314 I am counting on it. The Lord has promised me that I will be reunited with my mother and my sister who went to be with Jesus Jan 3rd 2020. My cousin is not long for this world, perhaps only a day or 2. I cannot go see her and say goodbye due to the Pandemic, my heart is so heavy 😔. Thank you for reminding me that I will be reunited with them too. ❤xoxo
My Grandma passed and we all were cleaning out her house. I was raiding the cookbooks. I have all her handwritten recipes & above each one she wrote who loved what recipe best & the substitutions she made for what kid. I copied them all and made a scrapbook for my cousins wedding gift. I added a recipe section that was all her Daddies favorites. She called me crying, thanking me. I still do this with anything my mom has written to me. Reminds me of the Elvis Song -Love Letters (sraight from your heart 💌)
Our church calls them chess bars. Anytime I take them by the time I get through the line they are gone. You are right, everyone loves them. A pan full of deliciousness! Thanks for posting.
My wife makes that cake all the time, mostly to bring to work. She made the mistake of bringing some to work, now the other nurses beg her to make one for every birthday, holiday, or made-up event. She adds pecans or hickory nuts to the crust. Try it, it makes it even better if that's possible!
Chess pie , chess bars , fudge pies , and pineapple upside down cake, and my favorite coconut pie. The kind of coconut pie w egg custard type filling mixed w coconut These were at every potluck I’ve ever been too ! ❤ thanks for sharing your recipe. Everyone has their own touches to these deserts , and none of them are wrong. ❤
This looks delicious! My son worked in Appalachia for a year after college and fell in love with the people. He's coming to visit next week. We haven't seen him since Christmas of 2019, because of Covid19 and I want to make his favorite foods. I think I will make your chess cake. Thank you.
I clicked on your channel and when I seen your kitchen I was speechless. You have my Grandma's EXACT kitchen. Same EXACT cabinets, layout, 1950's drawer pools, The back yard, sink & window. She was Cajun & cooking was her lifetime gift to us. So much of you even, an obvious real mother in the video, the well worn dishes, the Godliness of you even. Thank you so much for that travel back to my memories. A house full of Godly, strong loving, mother's all talking over each other over lunch & a yard full of cousins. How lucky we all were to be so blessed. Beautiful memories 💖
My grandmomma loved lemon chess pie, and she and I were the only ones in the family who did. There was a little bakery in Galax, Virginia, where she and I would get slices of it out of a glass display case. It’s a special memory!
You can actually use a lemon cake instead of the yellow, add fresh Lemmon zest and a teaspoon of Lemmon juice in the topping mixture mmm good. Lemon Chess cake! 😲
@@susanoswalt1169 There are a few ways to make it, but where I'm from the ingredients are basic: Butter, eggs, lemons, and sugar It's a very thin pie when it's done. I searched on YT and found the exact recipe. Type in "Lemon Chess Pie: A Southern Tradition" in the YT search bar and it'll come up. Gotta tell ya though.....the recipe on this channel was awesome!
This is like Gooey Butter Cake, which I have had. There are many variations--Lemon, Chocolate & Peanut butter, Red Velvet, German Chocolate, etc. You're right, it's an easy & delicious dessert especially for potlucks.
Those church fundraiser cookbooks were the best. My mom had so many of them when I was growing up. (I’m from northeast PA so ours had a lot of Pennsylvania Dutch and Ukranian recipes in them.) This cake sounds AMAZING. I have to try it!!
I’m from up pa. Near Allentown. I was raised on German, Polish, Irish cooking, and the German nuns baked amazing donuts for donut day to raise money for kids. I would love to share recipes with you
I'm from St Louis, this is like our gooey butter cake. My grandparents were from Kentucky and Tennessee and I hear so many of their sayings coming from these videos. Makes me miss them even more
I love old, traditional, & regional recipes...& collect cookbooks, & recipes...one of my favorites is my Appalachian/ Foxfire cookbook ...my go to for traditional recipes. I learned to cook a ham from my friends mother, when I lived in Kentucky...& still always say a thank you prayer to her for that, & taking me in as family for Sunday dinners, & I greatfully did dishes for her in thanks for her gracious hospitality...she was also an accomplished quilter...she taught me to strip, & sort tobacco leaves in the sorting shed...blessings on MS. SELMA, & JAMES, her husband.
I enjoy your videos. When I was 14 years old my family moved from the Mississippi Delta to Dayton, Tennessee. After my initial culture shock I came to love the Appalachian culture. The people, the music, and of course the beautiful mountains! Oh, and I will be trying this recipe. I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you.
We have decoration day and homecoming on father's day every year. Chess cake is always a favorite!!! I live in TN. I love your cabinets! They are exactly like my grandmother's were. Only hers were a red color wood. Your kitchen looks like where everyone wants to gather! It makes me smile! 💖
I had a favorite aunt who would make this every time at Thanksgiving because she knew I loved it so much. She's gone and I never got the recipe so you can imagine my delight to see it here. You made my day. Thanks.
@@JennRighter OR, the lady in the video could just get to it, and if anyone is curious about the history, they can Google that instead. We came here for the recipe, not the history explanation.
My wife has written it down and will try this weekend. We have a large Sunday school class and we always have a table of food and this one will certainly be on that table, thanks for sharing. 🍰
Such a delightful post - I so enjoy hearing about the traditions of Decorating Day and Homecoming. You are such a generous person to share a wonderful recipe with us while educating us a bit too! Thanks very much.
My mom was born & raised in Pennington Gap, VA ... so all things Appalachia is our heritage & in our blood. My mom's oldest brother was Claude Ely, a well-known preacher, songwriter, & singer (wrote Ain't No Grave & many more). We have been to many homecomings and decoration days. Chess cake was one of my cousin's specialty desserts that she would make for holidays and various events & was always a favorite. This made me hungry for a piece!
I can't wait to make this! This is the first time I've ever hear of Chess Cake. I love listening to this lady speak, she has such a classic accent, very warm.
Added fresh peach slices to the cheese mixture, then poured it over the crust to bake. Gurrrl, so friggin'good. Now I'm on a roll. Next time, I'll be lemon cake with fresh blueberries, or dark chocolate with sweet black cherries, or pineapple cake with coconut. A fun recipe to play with. Thank you!
Tipper would make the perfect spokesperson for literally any kitchen or cooking product. I could totally see her on television. She clearly uses Wesson oil and has as much charm as the late great Florence Henderson did.
The name Decoration Day has slowly been replaced with Memorial Day which became a national holiday 1971. Decoration Day originated just after the Civil War to honor those that perished in the war, hence the relationship of Decoration Day to our southern Appalachia states. Before 1971, Decoration Day was always May 30th.
Watching this made me think of so many varieties and combos that could be done with that 1 basic idea. One would be a chocolate base with caramel and pecans then put the cream cheese mix on that , 2 would be make it all chocolate, 3 could be well any flavor base cake like strawberry , pecan sandie , pineapple, the sky or taste pallet you can reach. Thanks for this (kind of a) reminder of days gone by (for me) .
Where I live in east TN, we've always called it chess bars. One of our favorites! You can also add a little lemon extract for lemon chess bars. My momma always made these when we were growing up. My niece hinted that she sure would love to have some, so I made them for her birthday ( along with green grape salad and ambrosia)! Thanks for sharing. ✝️👍
You are so sweet and thanks so much for sharing this! My mama always made “Chess Squares” and we still do when we get together. My brother won’t let a gathering take place without them! Love, love, love your kitchen and how warm and welcoming it feels....like I’m sittin’ at your table watching. ❤️
I am so glad your channel was in my suggestions! I’ve never had this cake, but I love chess pie. I will be definitely giving this a try. Love your warm personality, and it’s great to see a well loved pan on RUclips. ☺️
My grandparents in the Smokies called it “Decoration Day”. BTW, “Nanny”, my paternal grandmother whom I worshipped and who treated me as her favorite, made chess pie. It was a custard type filling in a blind baked lard pie shell. And it was my favorite along with her chocolate meringue pie.
Just happens, tomorrow is "homecoming & decoration" day at our church, Mt. View Baptist in the foothills of North Georgia. Always 1st Sunday in June each year. Such a special & emotional occasion remembering all of our love ones that have gone on to be with our Lord yet enjoying being with our new family members God has added to our church family. A wonderful day.
I only discovered Chess Cake about 20 or so years ago at bake sales at fairs. That was after my cooking days were past, so the history and recipe were mysteries to me, so I really appreciate this video.
That is definitely the home version of St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake. My family owned a bakery. The original recipe calls for a coffee cake base. We made dozens of these every day. Most definitely a STL favorite!
This was my grandma's staple dessert for gatherings and then became my Mom's too! We call it gooey cake in our family so I was tickled when you said at the end that the middle is "ooey gooey". We also top it with powder sugar. It's always a crowd-pleaser and people always ask my Mom what it is.
I just stumbled across this channel when I saw a picture of the cake. I have heard of chess cake but I never had . I have some of the church cookbooks from my Grandmothers church. When she passed I got all her recipes, she was a great cook and baker. She won many awards for her parker house rolls and was always asked to bring them to functions. I love reading those books it makes me laugh when I read these recipes and some submitted call for a pinch of this ,a dash of that and tell you what it should like like. Only a true good cook would write a recipe like this. Including my Grandma. When I read these I always think of her and miss her very much. I'll be making this cake on friday, we are having a family celebration.
Thank you for this recipe! I needed something I could make quick and easy after work to take to celebrate my niece's birthday with her, and this looks perfect! Thank you so much!
Really enjoyed the opening lesson - Homecoming and Decoration Day. Copied your recipe into my folder of things to bring to a potluck - can't wait to hear the reviews! Thank you for posting such an easy winner!
I love chess cake. My grandmother made the best. I have often taken this for pot luck at church. I'm a grandmother now and my 20 y/o granddaughter is making this now. Ty for sharing.
The cake looks delicious as do all of your recipes. I started a diet today so it looks especially good. I'll be 70 next yr and remember as a child going to Decoration with my grandparents. My grandmother bought she and I a corsage, a red one for her and white for me. As a child, I could not understand why I couldn't have the pretty red one and she explained because my mother had passed away I should wear a white corsage to signify that. Don't know if that is still a tradition. Haven't thought of it in all these yrs till I saw your video. Thanks for filming always enjoy.
I make this but use only 2 eggs in the top layer. Also I have two delicious variations. 1- use a Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix. 2- use a Betty Crocker Butter Pecan cake mix and mix in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans to the top layer. So yummy! But so easy.
Thank you for this great recipe! Even more, thank you for your lovely commentary ! I am originally from small town in Maryland I enjoy listening to your speech! Brings back memories rom the 1970s.
My Grandma made this, but added mini chocolate chips (she always used Nestle chocolate morsels). I think all of us Grandkids ate the whole pan! If you were an adult you'd better be at the head of the line!
@@amandadavispomeroy My grandpa was born in Germany but lived most of his live in the U.S. Mostly in Michigan and Indiana. His favorite dessert was chess pie. It wasn't exactly the same as this; it was equally firm but the crust wasn't as thick. It's so interesting how many people don't know of chess pie or cake and even those that do have so many variations. Yet it always seems to be the favorite of anyone who loves it.
My goodness I have had this and forgotten about it. My grandmother would make it when I was a kid. She passed 25 yrs ago and this and so many other childhood memories have faded a bit. Thank you for sharing. I can actually taste it in my mind.
My Granny always made chess pie but I’ve never had the cake. Going to have to try this one. Decoration day was always like a homecoming/family reunion in that the cemetery is more of a family site. My Great Grandfather, one of the founders of the church there, was the first to be buried there in 1925.
In our house it was indeed with chocolate cake mix, and had shredded coconut on top before baking. After it came out of the oven it got a healthy sprinkling of miniature chocolate chips while it was still warm so they would melt just a little bit. Still one of my favorite things.
@@stevemccravy7169 That's not true. Red velvet cake usually has acidic ingredients, like vinegar and buttermilk. These ingredients would react with certain types of cocoa to create a reddish color. Of course food-color companies jumped in and now it is not only reddish, but bright red. I'm sure people have added coloring to chocolate to make a faux red velvet, but that's another matter. A real red velvet cake will taste quite different than a chocolate cake in a blind-tasting test.
Have not heard of this cake before, but printed me a copy and will be making it for supper tonight ! ! Thanks for sharing it. As so many have already stated, the sweet little church ladies were the best cooks ever and only published tried and true recipes. Wish I had paid more attention to my Grandma's while they were cooking as I grew up. So thankful so many are doing videos of their Mom's and Grandma's sharing recipes. Such a treasure for generations to come.
My wife made this for Sunday church potluck here in Texas after watching this video. We love your channel. We thought this would be a great and simple recipe to try. Anyway everyone at church loved the cake. I almost didn't get any, there were only two pieces left when I got to dessert. What made it especially nice was we have a couple who moved here from eastern Tennessee and the wife knew what it was and has made it several times in the past herself. So she was impressed and said my wife made it just right and it was delicious. It really is good so thank you so much for putting it on here. My wife will definitely be making it again. Gonna have to try some of the other recipes too. God bless y'all.
We used to make “Chess bars”, rather than “cake”. I’m sure they were the same and absolutely delicious! You can’t go wrong with cream cheese 😁. Now I’m older and can’t eat sweets, but I still can’t help watching food videos - I’m eating vicariously through others.
Your closer to God- as you eat less and less. His love and light will be our joy and fulfill all our desires. Im in the same situation, but Im greatful to be able to share this struggle( for me) with others. Peace and love.
Yes!!! This was definitely always a hit and a personal favourite at any potluck I attended growing up. Thanks for reminding me about it. Once lockdown ends again for us here in Ontario, I think I will have to introduce it at our next potluck.
Yummy! I didn't know it was called chess cake. I got the same recipe from a friend a few months back. Girl this recipe is so great because you can get super creative with it. My husband loves the lemon cake and I add a can of raspberry pie filling layer before pouring the cream cheese mixture on top....yum! You can change up the flavors however you like. What I love the most is that it literally takes just a few minutes to put together and have it in the oven. ❤️
Home coming at our church, sometimes called "Old Fasioned Sunday" The Ladies all wore long dresses and bonnets the men wore cover all's. And we sent out invitations to anyone who ever attended our church in the past, including pastors from years past. Old fashioned gospel music bring your instrument. Then pot luck dinner. Memorial Day or decoration day is to honor those who gave their life in service to the country. Most folks decorate graves of their loved ones.
Thank you for recording this little gem 💎 it definitely brings back memories of all those decorations I attended as a child. I’ll have to make this for my daughter now 😉
Looks like a winner! I am definitely going to try. Love your cheesecake desert as well...so nice not to heat up the oven on a hot day. One of my favorites recipes for a potluck is Ugly Duckling Cake by Phyllis Stokes (God rest her soul). My cake pan always comes home empty. Thanks for sharing, can't wait to try it.
My mama would add pecans to the crust and crushed pineapples to the cake part during Christmas - but other times of the year she would make it just like the video showed us!
Watching this brought back such memories! I grew up and still live outside Birmingham Alabama and we still celebrate Decoration Day the 3rd Sunday in May. We used to all get together at my great aunt's house and eat potluck - there would be about 100 of us - but no more. So many have moved away. Church potlucks were part of my childhood and my mama made this very same recipe - it was our favorite! Sometimes she would flavor it with lemon. I never knew we shared so many traditions, slang/language and music with Appalachia! God bless you and your family and thank you so much!
It has been known as a gooey butter cake since the 1930's when it was first baked. With the inception of the internet, people started calling it a chess cake which is a *completely* different dessert.
🍳Purchase my eCookbook - 10 of My Favorite Recipes from Appalachia here: etsy.me/3kZmaC2
Your accent makes me want ramps and tators and deer meat,cornbread pudding.😂💪😇🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏love west virginia
Just bought it! Gonna make this chess cake for my rv neighbors tomorrow night!
How many cookbooks do u have out ?
@@lindaspillman1817 Just the one eCookbook. I hope to do more 🙂 Thank you!
I just bought this! Can’t wait to try out your recipes 🥰
My precious 26 year old grandson is teaching himself to cook. I will pass this recipe on to him. On Sunday I gave him my Kitchen Aid mixer & my valuable iron skillet. It felt like I passed the baton. Thank u as always.
That's so special. I have some of my maw maw's cast iron set aside for each kid.
Rose-that is so sweet 😀
I have my great grandmother’s cast iron skillet. Over a 100 years old. It’s my cornbread skillet.
@@miramcclanahan7663 i have some of my Grams. pass down to my mom and then to me. One is my cornbread pan that I keep hid from everyone.lol
Oh he’s sooo lucky! I will never be able to afford a KitchenAid mixer. And I’m sure you had one of the older great quality ones, compared to the crap ones they make today.
I made two of these today, using a yellow cake mix AND a lemon cake mix. The lemon was the hands down favorite, served with fresh Michigan strawberries and Redi-Whip!
Lemon cake mix sounds like a winner to me!!!
Sounds delicious!
I'm from Scotland and have never heard of this cake but I'm definitely making it the nxt time I have guests! I also love those church cookbooks the recipes always work.
This puts me to mind of Paula Dean's "oohy goohy cake"
I collected a few church cookbooks that I use for dishes.
@@ronndapagan - church cookbooks are the BEST!!!
Hey fellow Scot! It’s funny because we’re probably watching videos of how our Scottish culture evolved once it moved to America. I believe Appalachia has a large amount of people with Scottish heritage.
Also, another fun fact. The Appalachian mountains go all the way to Scotland, and no that’s not a joke. The Scottish highlands and the Appalachian mountains are the same mountains, they were once connected before they drifted apart and the Scottish highlands collided with the rest of Great Britain (the main island on the British isles in case people didn’t know).
So people from Scotland who emigrated to America really just moved to a different part of Scotland 😂
My sister made chess cakes often. They are soooo yummy! I now make them and I use the flavor of cake mix that goes with the season.
Fall- spice cake
Spring- Strawberry
Summer- Lemon
Winter- Chocolate
Chopped pecans in the spice cake is soooo extra yummy. I’m so glad this recipe is still alive! Thank you for your video. Now I want to make one! Hmmmm, I’m thinking white w/ blueberries. Like a muffin.
I've never heard of this. It's almost as easy as church potluck peach cobbler! That's what I always looked for. Three ingredients . Box yellow cake mix, one stick butter and large can of peach slices undrained. 💜
Thank you for keeping the Appalachian culture alive.
Thank you for helping me 😀
I agree 🙏🏼♥️
@@CelebratingAppalachia And even though I'm from the Ozarks, the 2 cultures are so similar, yet not treasured as uniquely American in a big enough way. So, THANK YOU!
@@mariebernier3076 They sure are uniquely, American 🇺🇸
I appreciate the way that making videos also preserves our history.
Many blessings and returns to you and yours 🤍
@@reeceraur8735 ❤
I collect church cookbooks. They have the best recipes ever!! You know no lil ole church lady is gonna put her name on a published recipe iffin it ain't the bomb! Best cookbooks ever ❤
What a great hobby! I have a few, I’ve also got a couple from a place I worked where we had branches all over the country. Those types of oookbooks are the ones in my kitchen with the most stains.🥰
I also collect church cookbooks! They generally are the best!
Agree
It'd be great to put those online. Maybe Pinterest!
You got that right! They proud of those recipes!! (as they should be)
A big piece of that cake sure would go well with a good cup of coffee.
My exact thought 🍀
Especially RIGHT NOW!!!😫
i love this channel
AMEN!!!
Absolutely!
I watch several cooking shows but my favorites are those with "home cooks". You ladies know how to get every morsel out of the mixing bowls and off beaters and spoons. That's the way my grandma, mother and aunts taught me to do it.some chefs are so wasteful it makes me want to jump into the TV and show them how it's done.
Yessss!!!! Ugh so irritating- like who raised those savages?! 😂
In our family every little drop was needed with all the mouths to feed. Waste not...want not.
I’m drooling over how much cabinet space you have 🤩🤤
And drawers! So many drawers. My heart.
I loved that kitchen. It seems so homey, and yes, very roomy!
So funny! I always remark the same! Oh to have all that cupboard and counter space!
LoL I was thinking the same thing.
@@barbarak2836 Me too. She is just a doll, like my lil sis. Feels like an ole best friend from school.
My dad grew up in Tennessee and told us kids lots of story's, every time I watch Celebrating Appalachia I remember my dad's stories. Thanks so much
Appalachian boy here, living in Acapulco! Mexico. Made your chess cake as directed , but added small bags of dehydrated cranberries and blueberries into the cream cheese batter. It was a hit with all my Mexican Friends. Thanks, Take me home country roads, to the place I belong.
Yay! Those additions sound great 😀
My sister gave me that recipe, she didn’t know what it was called, so I’ve always just called it “good cookies” and it was certainly good. The thing I like most about the recipe is that it’s her handwriting, each time I run across it, it just makes me feel like she’s right there with me, although she’s
been gone for a very long time.
Lola-I know what you mean! I love the handwritten recipes that I have and the ones from loved ones long since gone make me think of them. Thank you for sharing about your sister.
Bless Your Heart!❤
One Glorious Day, You're Going to be
Reunited with Your Beautiful Family
in Heaven.
Just Keep Holding onto God's Unchanging Hand.
Keep Praying, Praising, Trusting and Believing.
Love in Christ.❤
@@madibawayne6314 I am counting on it. The Lord has promised me that I will be reunited with my mother and my sister who went to be with Jesus Jan 3rd 2020. My cousin is not long for this world, perhaps only a day or 2. I cannot go see her and say goodbye due to the Pandemic, my heart is so heavy 😔. Thank you for reminding me that I will be reunited with them too. ❤xoxo
I love this. My mom still has a small booklet of handwritten recipes from my great grandma. They're priceless to our family.
My Grandma passed and we all were cleaning out her house. I was raiding the cookbooks. I have all her handwritten recipes & above each one she wrote who loved what recipe best & the substitutions she made for what kid. I copied them all and made a scrapbook for my cousins wedding gift. I added a recipe section that was all her Daddies favorites. She called me crying, thanking me. I still do this with anything my mom has written to me.
Reminds me of the Elvis Song -Love Letters (sraight from your heart 💌)
Our church calls them chess bars. Anytime I take them by the time I get through the line they are gone. You are right, everyone loves them. A pan full of deliciousness! Thanks for posting.
I always say a prayer for the one who gave me the recipe because that's just me. Looks delicious.
Thank you Betty 😀
My wife makes that cake all the time, mostly to bring to work. She made the mistake of bringing some to work, now the other nurses beg her to make one for every birthday, holiday, or made-up event. She adds pecans or hickory nuts to the crust. Try it, it makes it even better if that's possible!
My thoughts when watching the crust go in.....”boy that sure would be good with some pecans thrown in.”
I lOL'd when I read this! Love it...
Oh yes! Pecans in that crust would put it over the top!
Here as well. We add coconut.
Another name for it is “ooey gooey butter cake”
Chess pie , chess bars , fudge pies , and pineapple upside down cake, and my favorite coconut pie. The kind of coconut pie w egg custard type filling mixed w coconut These were at every potluck I’ve ever been too ! ❤ thanks for sharing your recipe. Everyone has their own touches to these deserts , and none of them are wrong. ❤
What about custard pie
This looks delicious! My son worked in Appalachia for a year after college and fell in love with the people. He's coming to visit next week. We haven't seen him since Christmas of 2019, because of Covid19 and I want to make his favorite foods. I think I will make your chess cake. Thank you.
Glad you got to see him! How did it go with the recipe?
I clicked on your channel and when I seen your kitchen I was speechless. You have my Grandma's EXACT kitchen. Same EXACT cabinets, layout, 1950's drawer pools, The back yard, sink & window. She was Cajun & cooking was her lifetime gift to us. So much of you even, an obvious real mother in the video, the well worn dishes, the Godliness of you even. Thank you so much for that travel back to my memories. A house full of Godly, strong loving, mother's all talking over each other over lunch & a yard full of cousins. How lucky we all were to be so blessed. Beautiful memories 💖
I'm so glad I reminded you of her and good times 🙂
My grandmomma loved lemon chess pie, and she and I were the only ones in the family who did. There was a little bakery in Galax, Virginia, where she and I would get slices of it out of a glass display case. It’s a special memory!
You can actually use a lemon cake instead of the yellow, add fresh Lemmon zest and a teaspoon of Lemmon juice in the topping mixture mmm good.
Lemon Chess cake! 😲
I live near Galax. Chess pie is still big around here, and if it’s the same small bakery I’m thinking of, it’s still here. 🤗
Audrey M. Would love to have the recipe for chess pie ,my granny use to make for me.
@@susanoswalt1169 There are a few ways to make it, but where I'm from the ingredients are basic: Butter, eggs, lemons, and sugar It's a very thin pie when it's done. I searched on YT and found the exact recipe. Type in "Lemon Chess Pie: A Southern Tradition" in the YT search bar and it'll come up. Gotta tell ya though.....the recipe on this channel was awesome!
I'm here in Ruckersville, VA central VA
This is like Gooey Butter Cake, which I have had. There are many variations--Lemon, Chocolate & Peanut butter, Red Velvet, German Chocolate, etc. You're right, it's an easy & delicious dessert especially for potlucks.
Those church fundraiser cookbooks were the best. My mom had so many of them when I was growing up. (I’m from northeast PA so ours had a lot of Pennsylvania Dutch and Ukranian recipes in them.)
This cake sounds AMAZING. I have to try it!!
I’m from up pa. Near Allentown. I was raised on German, Polish, Irish cooking, and the German nuns baked amazing donuts for donut day to raise money for kids. I would love to share recipes with you
I'm from St Louis, this is like our gooey butter cake. My grandparents were from Kentucky and Tennessee and I hear so many of their sayings coming from these videos. Makes me miss them even more
I love old, traditional, & regional recipes...& collect cookbooks, & recipes...one of my favorites is my Appalachian/ Foxfire cookbook ...my go to for traditional recipes. I learned to cook a ham from my friends mother, when I lived in Kentucky...& still always say a thank you prayer to her for that, & taking me in as family for Sunday dinners, & I greatfully did dishes for her in thanks for her gracious hospitality...she was also an accomplished quilter...she taught me to strip, & sort tobacco leaves in the sorting shed...blessings on MS. SELMA, & JAMES, her husband.
i had such a pleasant time watching you cook....looks great!!
Glad you enjoyed it 😀
We call these lemon gooeys, because it used a lemon cake mix, but we found it is best with a red velvet cake mix. Delicious!
I enjoy your videos. When I was 14 years old my family moved from the Mississippi Delta to Dayton, Tennessee. After my initial culture shock I came to love the Appalachian culture. The people, the music, and of course the beautiful mountains! Oh, and I will be trying this recipe. I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you.
We have decoration day and homecoming on father's day every year. Chess cake is always a favorite!!! I live in TN. I love your cabinets! They are exactly like my grandmother's were. Only hers were a red color wood. Your kitchen looks like where everyone wants to gather! It makes me smile! 💖
I had a favorite aunt who would make this every time at Thanksgiving because she knew I loved it so much. She's gone and I never got the recipe so you can imagine my delight to see it here. You made my day. Thanks.
😀
Oh my, how easy is that? I'm going to try it. Thank you so very much for sharing👩🏽🌾🙏🏽🧡🧡🧡🧡
This was my grandpa's favorite. He called it Chess Pie, but it was the same thing. His favorite dessert. May he rest in peace.
Too much talking. .get on with the recipe.
@@Jan-nu8fq sure, Jan. If you want a recipe without talking, maybe a video isn’t the Avenue for that. Just Google it.
@@JennRighter OR, the lady in the video could just get to it, and if anyone is curious about the history, they can Google that instead. We came here for the recipe, not the history explanation.
I love the history. One can get a recipe in a cookbook.
My wife has written it down and will try this weekend. We have a large Sunday school class and we always have a table of food and this one will certainly be on that table, thanks for sharing. 🍰
Such a delightful post - I so enjoy hearing about the traditions of Decorating Day and Homecoming. You are such a generous person to share a wonderful recipe with us while educating us a bit too! Thanks very much.
I also love the little mini-history lesson.
My mom was born & raised in Pennington Gap, VA ... so all things Appalachia is our heritage & in our blood. My mom's oldest brother was Claude Ely, a well-known preacher, songwriter, & singer (wrote Ain't No Grave & many more). We have been to many homecomings and decoration days. Chess cake was one of my cousin's specialty desserts that she would make for holidays and various events & was always a favorite. This made me hungry for a piece!
I can't wait to make this! This is the first time I've ever hear of Chess Cake. I love listening to this lady speak, she has such a classic accent, very warm.
Added fresh peach slices to the cheese mixture, then poured it over the crust to bake. Gurrrl, so friggin'good. Now I'm on a roll. Next time, I'll be lemon cake with fresh blueberries, or dark chocolate with sweet black cherries, or pineapple cake with coconut. A fun recipe to play with. Thank you!
This statement is NOT endorsed by Weight Watchers :D But, SOOOOO going to try it :D
Tipper would make the perfect spokesperson for literally any kitchen or cooking product. I could totally see her on television. She clearly uses Wesson oil and has as much charm as the late great Florence Henderson did.
Thank you Thomas 😀
I am in ETN, and I think some call it a chess bar, love how you explained the history of home coming!!!
OH MY GOSH. I just love her. I could listen to her teach all day. I'm a follower for life!!!!
😀
Never ate or heard of it but I love learning new recipes that people have loved for years. I'll give it a go!
The name Decoration Day has slowly been replaced with Memorial Day which became a national holiday 1971. Decoration Day originated just after the Civil War to honor those that perished in the war, hence the relationship of Decoration Day to our southern Appalachia states. Before 1971, Decoration Day was always May 30th.
Watching this made me think of so many varieties and combos that could be done with that 1 basic idea. One would be a chocolate base with caramel and pecans then put the cream cheese mix on that , 2 would be make it all chocolate, 3 could be well any flavor base cake like strawberry , pecan sandie , pineapple, the sky or taste pallet you can reach. Thanks for this (kind of a) reminder of days gone by (for me) .
I always do this! I’m watching a recipe and my minds already thinking about what else i can add or how can i make a different variation
Where I live in east TN, we've always called it chess bars. One of our favorites! You can also add a little lemon extract for lemon chess bars. My momma always made these when we were growing up. My niece hinted that she sure would love to have some, so I made them for her birthday ( along with green grape salad and ambrosia)! Thanks for sharing. ✝️👍
You are so sweet and thanks so much for sharing this!
My mama always made “Chess Squares” and we still do when we get together. My brother won’t let a gathering take place without them! Love, love, love your kitchen and how warm and welcoming it feels....like I’m sittin’ at your table watching. ❤️
I am so glad your channel was in my suggestions! I’ve never had this cake, but I love chess pie. I will be definitely giving this a try. Love your warm personality, and it’s great to see a well loved pan on RUclips. ☺️
Thank you-hope you enjoy the cake!
No, I've never heard of this cake or eaten it, but that's going to change immediately! Thanks for sharing it.
Exactly what I said. Now I can’t wait for my baking day!!!!
I just wrote down the recipe and variations. July 4th is coming up and I think it sounds like party food !
My grandparents in the Smokies called it “Decoration Day”. BTW, “Nanny”, my paternal grandmother whom I worshipped and who treated me as her favorite, made chess pie. It was a custard type filling in a blind baked lard pie shell. And it was my favorite along with her chocolate meringue pie.
I hear you!
However, she was my maternal Mamaw 💖 😭🙃
I am 74 and have made chess pie and lemon chess pie. Simple but so tasty.
Just happens, tomorrow is "homecoming & decoration" day at our church, Mt. View Baptist in the foothills of North Georgia. Always 1st Sunday in June each year. Such a special & emotional occasion remembering all of our love ones that have gone on to be with our Lord yet enjoying being with our new family members God has added to our church family. A wonderful day.
You are delightful! Such good memories that you refresh in my head and heart! Thank you!
I live in TN and can’t wait to bake this cake for my prayer group. Thank you for sharing it. You do a nice clear presentation!
I only discovered Chess Cake about 20 or so years ago at bake sales at fairs. That was after my cooking days were past, so the history and recipe were mysteries to me, so I really appreciate this video.
Looks like what they call "Gooey Butter Cake" in St. Louis :)
I think I've heard it called that too Thanks for watching 😀
That's what Paula Deen calls it (well, actualy "ooey gooey butter cake").
@@kevincaldwell9700 Yep, we call it Ooey, Gooey, Butter Cake, and, yes, we make it with both yellow cake mix and chocolate cake mix. Delicious!
That is definitely the home version of St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake. My family owned a bakery. The original recipe calls for a coffee cake base. We made dozens of these every day. Most definitely a STL favorite!
@@kevincaldwell9700 o
This was my grandma's staple dessert for gatherings and then became my Mom's too! We call it gooey cake in our family so I was tickled when you said at the end that the middle is "ooey gooey". We also top it with powder sugar. It's always a crowd-pleaser and people always ask my Mom what it is.
I just stumbled across this channel when I saw a picture of the cake. I have heard of chess cake but I never had . I have some of the church cookbooks from my Grandmothers church. When she passed I got all her recipes, she was a great cook and baker. She won many awards for her parker house rolls and was always asked to bring them to functions. I love reading those books it makes me laugh when I read these recipes and some submitted call for a pinch of this ,a dash of that and tell you what it should like like. Only a true good cook would write a recipe like this. Including my Grandma. When I read these I always think of her and miss her very much. I'll be making this cake on friday, we are having a family celebration.
reminds me of the wonderful old ladies in my church growin up and just how good our church suppers were...... thank ye
Thank you for this recipe! I needed something I could make quick and easy after work to take to celebrate my niece's
birthday with her, and this looks perfect! Thank you so much!
Really enjoyed the opening lesson - Homecoming and Decoration Day. Copied your recipe into my folder of things to bring to a potluck - can't wait to hear the reviews! Thank you for posting such an easy winner!
My Grandmomma made this but added Chopped English walnuts in the crust and sprinkled on top before baking...yum!
Your videos make me miss my family up north. Its nice to listen to these and just relax
I love chess cake. My grandmother made the best. I have often taken this for pot luck at church. I'm a grandmother now and my 20 y/o granddaughter is making this now.
Ty for sharing.
The cake looks delicious as do all of your recipes. I started a diet today so it looks especially good. I'll be 70 next yr and remember as a child going to Decoration with my grandparents. My grandmother bought she and I a corsage, a red one for her and white for me. As a child, I could not understand why I couldn't have the pretty red one and she explained because my mother had passed away I should wear a white corsage to signify that. Don't know if that is still a tradition. Haven't thought of it in all these yrs till I saw your video. Thanks for filming always enjoy.
Yes, I remember hearing all those rules about flowers from the old days. There probably aren't many people who know them anymore.
I've eaten chess pie when I lived in NC, but never chess cake... looks delicious! May have to give this a try.
I make this but use only 2 eggs in the top layer. Also I have two delicious variations. 1- use a Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix. 2- use a Betty Crocker Butter Pecan cake mix and mix in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans to the top layer. So yummy! But so easy.
Yes. I've had this before. Miss it. Church and pot luck and picnics and good food and good people...miss it a lot.
Thank you for this great recipe! Even more, thank you for your lovely commentary ! I am originally from small town in Maryland I enjoy listening to your speech! Brings back memories rom the 1970s.
The cook is such a pretty lady!
She sure is! 😊❤
Inside and out
My Grandma made this, but added mini chocolate chips (she always used Nestle chocolate morsels). I think all of us Grandkids ate the whole pan! If you were an adult you'd better be at the head of the line!
I’ve never had chess cake. But chess pie and chocolate chess pie are delicious
I noticed "chehs-kejk" instead of "chis-kejk"... lovely accent...
And lemon chess pie.
i think we are generally talkin about the same thing
Yeah, same. A chess pie is not as firm as this is. The cake sounds good but definitely not the same as the southern chess pies.
@@amandadavispomeroy My grandpa was born in Germany but lived most of his live in the U.S. Mostly in Michigan and Indiana. His favorite dessert was chess pie. It wasn't exactly the same as this; it was equally firm but the crust wasn't as thick. It's so interesting how many people don't know of chess pie or cake and even those that do have so many variations. Yet it always seems to be the favorite of anyone who loves it.
From Cincinnati Ohio....worked at a bakery....years ago....we called it "candy butter coffee cake....I'm sooooo glad I found this recipe!!!!❤
My goodness I have had this and forgotten about it. My grandmother would make it when I was a kid. She passed 25 yrs ago and this and so many other childhood memories have faded a bit. Thank you for sharing. I can actually taste it in my mind.
My Granny always made chess pie but I’ve never had the cake. Going to have to try this one. Decoration day was always like a homecoming/family reunion in that the cemetery is more of a family site. My Great Grandfather, one of the founders of the church there, was the first to be buried there in 1925.
I watched this again and you’re wonderful presentation
I feel like I’m right there with you
Thank you!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
In our house it was indeed with chocolate cake mix, and had shredded coconut on top before baking. After it came out of the oven it got a healthy sprinkling of miniature chocolate chips while it was still warm so they would melt just a little bit. Still one of my favorite things.
Yum! I'll have to try that!!
S00 good with Red Velvet Cake mix too.
@@reeree7036 Well, it would be. Red velvet is just chocolate cake dyed red.
@@stevemccravy7169 So be it steve.
@@stevemccravy7169 That's not true. Red velvet cake usually has acidic ingredients, like vinegar and buttermilk. These ingredients would react with certain types of cocoa to create a reddish color. Of course food-color companies jumped in and now it is not only reddish, but bright red. I'm sure people have added coloring to chocolate to make a faux red velvet, but that's another matter. A real red velvet cake will taste quite different than a chocolate cake in a blind-tasting test.
Have not heard of this cake before, but printed me a copy and will be making it for supper tonight ! ! Thanks for sharing it. As so many have already stated, the sweet little church ladies were the best cooks ever and only published tried and true recipes. Wish I had paid more attention to my Grandma's while they were cooking as I grew up. So thankful so many are doing videos of their Mom's and Grandma's sharing recipes. Such a treasure for generations to come.
My wife made this for Sunday church potluck here in Texas after watching this video. We love your channel. We thought this would be a great and simple recipe to try. Anyway everyone at church loved the cake. I almost didn't get any, there were only two pieces left when I got to dessert. What made it especially nice was we have a couple who moved here from eastern Tennessee and the wife knew what it was and has made it several times in the past herself. So she was impressed and said my wife made it just right and it was delicious. It really is good so thank you so much for putting it on here. My wife will definitely be making it again. Gonna have to try some of the other recipes too. God bless y'all.
That is wonderful 😀
I've never heard of a Chess Cake. I grew up eating Chess Pie. Chess Pie was always my favorite pie! Also, Chocolate Chess Pie was to die for!
This is so interesting. I’ve been making this for years but have always called it Neiman- Marcus bars. Everyone goes crazy for them.
We used to make “Chess bars”, rather than “cake”. I’m sure they were the same and absolutely delicious! You can’t go wrong with cream cheese 😁. Now I’m older and can’t eat sweets, but I still can’t help watching food videos - I’m eating vicariously through others.
Your closer to God- as you eat less and less. His love and light will be our joy and fulfill all our desires. Im in the same situation, but Im greatful to be able to share this struggle( for me) with others. Peace and love.
You videos just never get old. It surely makes me come back to reality when seeing all that going on in the world.
Thank you!!
I really enjoy the history and stories you share. Makes great conversation. Thanks again.
Yes!!! This was definitely always a hit and a personal favourite at any potluck I attended growing up. Thanks for reminding me about it. Once lockdown ends again for us here in Ontario, I think I will have to introduce it at our next potluck.
Yummy! I didn't know it was called chess cake. I got the same recipe from a friend a few months back. Girl this recipe is so great because you can get super creative with it. My husband loves the lemon cake and I add a can of raspberry pie filling layer before pouring the cream cheese mixture on top....yum! You can change up the flavors however you like. What I love the most is that it literally takes just a few minutes to put together and have it in the oven. ❤️
Karen-thanks for sharing that tip 😀
This sounds incredible too!
Nice!
I wondered about berries with this... glad I'm not the first to think of it!
Home coming at our church, sometimes called "Old Fasioned Sunday" The Ladies all wore long dresses and bonnets the men wore cover all's. And we sent out invitations to anyone who ever attended our church in the past, including pastors from years past. Old fashioned gospel music bring your instrument. Then pot luck dinner. Memorial Day or decoration day is to honor those who gave their life in service to the country. Most folks decorate graves of their loved ones.
What a fun and lovely tradition. I know there was some seriously good food shared.
Thank you for recording this little gem 💎 it definitely brings back memories of all those decorations I attended as a child. I’ll have to make this for my daughter now 😉
My grandmother was from Welch WV. She use to make chess cake that was out of this world. I haven’t a piece of chess cake in probably 20 years!!!
Looks like a winner! I am definitely going to try. Love your cheesecake desert as well...so nice not to heat up the oven on a hot day. One of my favorites recipes for a potluck is Ugly Duckling Cake by Phyllis Stokes (God rest her soul). My cake pan always comes home empty. Thanks for sharing, can't wait to try it.
When you said "it travels really well" you got my interest for sure!
It does! I never have to worry about it sliding over and spilling or messing up the frosting 😀
It looks delicious; I'll let you know how mine turns out. I'm from Australia (I live in California) I love learning US traditions recipes.
❤️ I’m a new Sub.
I’m from West Virginia and Kentucky boarders. Born and raised in Appalachia. Love your channel and this cake!! 👍🏼❤️👍🏼
Wonderful! Thank you so much 😀
A favorite of mine grow up in the Appalachians in PA. Thank you for sharing!
Welp, I'm going to go shopping after work tomorrow and get me them ingredients to make this cake and give it a whirl here in Vancouver Canada
It’s my favorite. My aunt always makes it for every gathering. Just asked her to make it for our reunion next weekend. Thank you for the reminder.
Love this. One of my favs. My grandmother use to add crushed pineapple.
My mama would add pecans to the crust and crushed pineapples to the cake part during Christmas - but other times of the year she would make it just like the video showed us!
Watching this brought back such memories! I grew up and still live outside Birmingham Alabama and we still celebrate Decoration Day the 3rd Sunday in May. We used to all get together at my great aunt's house and eat potluck - there would be about 100 of us - but no more. So many have moved away. Church potlucks were part of my childhood and my mama made this very same recipe - it was our favorite! Sometimes she would flavor it with lemon. I never knew we shared so many traditions, slang/language and music with Appalachia! God bless you and your family and thank you so much!
I love your videos, your relaxed and interested delivery, and your excellant informed attention to detail. Thank you so much!
Thank you for celebrating Appalachia with us. Have never had chess cake. Looks good
You're welcome Sara-thank you for helping me!
Here in South Texas we call that a “buttermilk cake“ it’s always a favorite church socials.
In West Texas, we called it Homecoming Cake too!!
@@MTknitter22 Whatever you call it I want a corner piece!
I've seen this called St. Louis ooey gooey cake. Yummy. Killer cake.
It has been known as a gooey butter cake since the 1930's when it was first baked. With the inception of the internet, people started calling it a chess cake which is a *completely* different dessert.
Bless her heart! I could listen to her southern accent all day long.