Perhaps unlike other participants in the Kitchen Kapers tour, Upper Arlington resident Shannon Trotter much prefers baking over cooking in her kitchen.
One reason for this is her fond memories of cakes being baked for special occasions in her family, especially birthdays.
“Every year you would have a cake baked and it would always be served on a cake stand. It’s this big to-do,” she says. “I always remember, as a kid, getting a cake and how special that made me feel.”
Trotter may have gotten her love for baking from her mother, who passed away when Trotter was just over a year old. She never got the opportunity to bake with her mother, but she did get her recipe collection, and began to learn how to bake through trial and error following the recipes. Being the only woman in the house with her father and brothers, Trotter says she took up the responsibility of cooking and baking for the family.
“I think because my mom was an avid baker and cook, it made me feel closer to her,” she says.
Beyond the tasty treats, Trotter loves the “homey feeling” the smell of fresh-baked goods give the home. For example, she loves to make cinnamon rolls just for the aroma, but doesn’t eat them herself. In addition, Trotter collects vintage cake stands to display all of her hard work, serving as added decorations to the home.
Among her favorites is the coconut cake she’s been perfecting at the request of her husband, as well as ginger snaps, a Christmas staple that garners frequent requests from family members.
But it’s Trotter’s butterscotch pie that truly takes the cake. It’s a recipe passed down from her maternal grandmother, who was also an avid baker. But unlike most recipes, there aren’t any numbers involved. Trotter says the recipe is hard to perfect because her grandmother was blind and measured everything by touch.
Butterscotch pie is traditionally made on Thanksgiving and Christmas in Trotter’s family, but she makes an exception for her brother, who gets one on his birthday.
The secret ingredient for making butterscotch pie is not an edible one, Trotter says; it’s patience. She must cook most of it on the stove first, adding ingredients very slowly to allow them to integrate properly. At first, she dumped everything in at once, and it didn’t turn out as she wanted. Baking taught her patience.
“I think that’s the beauty of baking, too. It does teach you some patience and can be therapeutic, to help you relax or relieve stress,” she says.
Trotter has learned a great deal about baking over the years and challenges novices to take risks.
“Be adventurous and take a recipe and use it as foundation, but don’t be afraid to add your own spin or flavor,” she says. “The worst case scenario is that it might not taste right, but the good news is you can always start over again.”
Hannah Herner is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
Vera’s Buttermilk Crusted Butterscotch Pie
Buttermilk Crust (makes 2 crusts)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. granulated sugar
- ¾ tsp. table salt
- 3 Tbsp. cold butter
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 2 tsp. vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup cold buttermilk
Whisk the flour and salt together. Cut the shortening and butter into the flour until the chunks are the size of small peas. Gradually add in buttermilk and vegetable oil, and stir with a fork until the dough is moistened and comes together. Massage the dough and form into a round ball. Divide dough into halves. Place each half on parchment paper and set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Line pie pan with one crust. Using a fork, poke holes into the crust to allow for ventilation while baking. Bake at 475 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes before adding filling.
Meringue
- 3 egg whites (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
Add egg whites and cream of tartar to a mixing bowl. Set hand mixer on medium and begin to whip eggs. Gradually add sugar. Continue mixing until soft peaks are formed.
Filling
- 4 Tbsp. all purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. corn starch
- 1/2 tsp. table salt
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup canned milk
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 stick margarine
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tsp. vanilla
In medium sauce pan, mix flour, corn starch, salt, light brown sugar and dark brown sugar. Warm on low heat and gradually add canned milk and whole milk. Cook on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add margarine. Blend until melted and then add 3 well-beaten egg yolks. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool 15-20 minutes. Add to baked pie crust and top with meringue. Baked at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until meringue is browned.
