Recipe A&P Jane Parker Spanish Bar Cake Copycat Recipe [VIDEO]

[thompson]

I've seen quite a few threads over the years talking about this much-loved and fondly remembered dessert.

The youtube below popped up in the sidebar on one of the watercolor videos I was watching yesterday morning. There were only a few A&P grocery stores in my Midwest hometown, none near us, and the grocery chain later exited that market, so I don't have a memory of this much talked about delicacy that so many do. But from reading everyone's comments and several copycat recipes, I realized that I probably had another grocery chain's version which I thought was very good. I'm posting this for those who did have the original and have been looking for a closer dupe; I'm always up for the quest of helping others find the closest to the original of anything! I know Kathy has posted about this treat before and said she came very close but maybe the icing needed tweaked.

The woman in the video said the company that produced the Spanish Bar cake is still in business (a couple of brothers bought the Jane Parker name and all of the original recipes after A&P filed for bankruptcy) and are available to order. She had never tasted a Spanish Bar Cake, so ordered one to try so she could work on duplicating it as close as she was able.

Jane Parker Spanish Bar Cake | JaneParker.com

The original Jane Parker Spanish Bar Cake! The Spanish Bar Cake, also know as the Spanish Bar Spice Cake was an original recipe baked under the Jane Parker brand. This delicious cake is a moist, two-layered cake baked with a flavorful mix of spices including nutmeg and a hint of clove.

janeparker.com

$39.97 Serves 10-12 (Free Shipping option is not available for this particular cake, only their many varieties of fruitcakes.)

My curiosity was piqued and wondered if they sold on Amazon. Lo and behold, they do... but offer only the fruitcakes. So if you remembered and liked their fruitcake you're in luck.

Here's a short youtube promo I found on their website:

Jane Parker Spanish Bar Cake
48 seconds

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gv6OEwkq_w


Here's the youtube on how she made the copycat that caught my eye (recipe is included in the video). It's 20 minutes long but I enjoyed watching and plan on catching more of this channel.

The A&P Spanish Bar Cake Recipe Mystery FINALLY Solved!

20 minute run time

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S2P0VYk9Xk


The video w/ recipe was posted 3 days ago and here's a comment:

@Birdie6674
1 day ago
I MADE this recipe & it is spot on, Renee!! This cake was always at my husband John’s mom’s house when we were in high school! Everyone should try it! Chef’s kiss from both of us!! p.s. that frosting!

@kitchenintheshire
1 day ago
YAY!!!! This comment makes me so happy!! I am over the moon thrilled to know that you thought that it tastes just like you remember! THANK YOU for letting me know!

@Birdie6674
1 day ago
You are welcome! I hope everyone who misses this cake makes it! You really got this recipe just right! Thank you so much


I'm out of molasses, but it's on the list for the next trip to the grocery store and I'm eager to try it. If anyone else decides to make it and has a clear memory of how it tasted, please let us know what you thought.

 

[Kathy in FL]

I made one for Chistmas this year. Cake was good but frosting wasn’t quite right.

 

[Wildwood]

I've been seeing this all over youtube in the last couple weeks by different cooking channels...it's trending and they are all jumping on the bandwagon.. That second one you posted might be worth investigating. She is an excellent cook and knows all the good cooking tips.

 

[thompson]

That second one you posted might be worth investigating. She is an excellent cook and knows all the good cooking tips.

I enjoyed watching her and could tell she knows her way around the kitchen.

 

[thompson]

I made one for Chistmas this year. Cake was good but frosting wasn’t quite right.

That's what I remembered you saying. She used regular shortening in her copycat frosting and I understand her rationale; it's what was used back in the day when they were being sold in the A&P stores and would come closest when creating a clone. Shortening produces a different product than butter, not only in terms of taste in both batter/dough and frostings, but also in texture in frostings and how batter/dough performs as it bakes up. When I get around to making this recipe I'll use regular Crisco, too, even though I'll have to get a small tub of it. We eat clean 99% of the time and once in a blue moon isn't going to do any more damage than what my 70+ years already have.

She also discovered adding just a tiny smidge of almond extract to the frosting made it much closer to the cake she'd ordered from Jane Parker (she also uses almond extract in the cake batter). Using almond extract to enhance vanilla or other flavors used in cakes and frostings is an old trick I've used for decades. It's the 'missing ingredient' that makes a subtle, but noticeable difference; the difference between "good" and "Really Good!", in my opinion. Just a drop can make a difference. In the video she has the ingredients and amounts posted as she's making it, so you might want to fast forward if you don't want to watch the whole thing.

 

[Wildwood]

That's what I remembered you saying. She used regular shortening in her copycat frosting and I understand her rationale; it's what was used back in the day when they were being sold in the A&P stores and would come closest when creating a clone. Shortening produces a different product than butter, not only in terms of taste in both batter/dough and frostings, but also in texture in frostings and how batter/dough performs as it bakes up. When I get around to making this recipe I'll use regular Crisco, too, even though I'll have to get a small tub of it. We eat clean 99% of the time and once in a blue moon isn't going to do any more damage than what my 70+ years already have.

She also discovered adding just a tiny smidge of almond extract to the frosting made it much closer to the cake she'd ordered from Jane Parker (she also uses almond extract in the cake batter). Using almond extract to enhance vanilla or other flavors used in cakes and frostings is an old trick I've used for decades. It's the 'missing ingredient' that makes a subtle, but noticeable difference; the difference between "good" and "Really Good!", in my opinion. Just a drop can make a difference. In the video she has the ingredients and amounts posted as she's making it, so you might want to fast forward if you don't want to watch the whole thing.

Same here. I don't use crisco often but sometimes it works best. The foods it works best in, I don't make often. It's the same with margarine. I only use it in one dish and I only make that dish on the holidays so maybe once or twice a year but butter just won't work...I've tried.