Santori Papaya Walnut Cake

I got this recipe from a Jeannie Crockett Schrader when I came home from the hospital after having my first daughter. This was the BEST cake ever (or maybe it was that I had just recently gone through excruciating pain and the cake was a welcome contrast). I asked for the recipe and 8 years later in Antigua I am still loving it although I’ve made an adjustment by using green papaya instead of apples.

Ingredients

2 Teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ Teaspoons cinnamon
1 ¼ Teaspoons salt
¾ Cup vegetable oil
3 Large eggs
1 ½ Teaspoons vanilla
6 Cups green papaya, peeled and grated
1 ½ Cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 Cups sugar
3 Cups all purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 300. Butter a 13x9x2 inch baking dish. In a large bowl sift together sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt then whisk in oil eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the grated green papaya and the walnuts to the batter and stir making sure they are well coated. Next stir in the flour until everything is combined well. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.

Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the baking dish on a rack. Cut the cake into squares and serve at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream.