I was associated with CENTURY 21 FIRST REALTY OF VENICE, with Ron Morrison as broker owner, for the most part of my 18 years selling real estate in Florida. Note my Century 21 gold coat. Each Real Estate agent had an 8×10 photo, such as this one of me, on the wall of the front office where I worked.

Each Friday morning was realtor open-house held at the Venice Area Board of Realtors building which was headed by Marlene. We realtors who were holding an open house following the meeting, would stand up and pitch the house we were holding open and as I stood up, gave the address and details of the newly listed house I was holding open, I would say I was serving refreshments.

Before going to the 9:00 am meeting I would bake a Duncan Hines butter cake, no icing, to serve at my realtors open house. I called that a breakfast cake. There was a man, who I didn’t know, came to my open house each time, didn’t talk to anyone or do anything but go right for the cake, eat 3 or 4 pieces of that cake and leave. I concidered that a really nice compliment.

Every Wednesday morning we had an office meeting and then went to preview all the new listings from our office. I often took a cake to have with coffee during this meeting.

After eating the German chocolate cake with Coconut caramel icing I had taken, a realtor in my office said ” Flo, that cake is so good, I want your recipe.”

I turned to her and said “OK, get out your paper and pencil to copy it down”. And I waited until she was all set to write and said, ” Walk down the few doors to Winn Dixie and buy a Duncan Hines German chocolate cake mix and a can of German chocolate cake icing.”

I just couldn’t resist the temptation to be mischievous ……then I told her the secret is getting the cake out of the oven a few seconds before it is done so you don’t lose moisture and has more flavor. Cake, cookies, rolls etcetera bake a few second longer after they are removed from the oven.

Since I have had a request for my orange cake recipe……..here it is.

Buy a Duncan Hines orange cake mix. Make the added water half frozen concentrated frozen orange juice. Make the icing with confectioners sugar, soft butter and frozen orange juice right from the can. Again the big secret is NOT TO OVER BAKE.

This works for all cakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, biscuit, corn bread, muffins etcetera , etcetera!!!!!!! I did not add pies to this list!!!!! Fruit pies must boil a few minutes to cook the sugar and cornstarch. But I’m sure you already knew that. I sometimes add too many details. Please excuse my goof!!!!

My own mother didn’t like to share recipes and I knew other women who also would divulge none of their recipes. That is their prerogative!!!!! I’ll give them that!!!!!!

But my cooking and baking secrets I share with anyone who wishes to know and I even tell some people who DONT EVEN WANT TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!

I dedicate this story to the lovely Sandra McCoy daughter of Maia Morrison and my Century 21 broker owner Ron Morrison.

FRF ♥