Peanut Bars

Peanut bars are a family tradition, which I recently discovered does not belong to my extended family alone. I thought it was since I had never met anyone else who knew what they were, nor had I ever seen them anywhere. But, I recently saw something called "mocha bars" in the Renville, MN grocery store which looked pretty much exactly like my family's peanut bars. When I investigated this online, I discovered that is another name for the same thing and that it is a German tradition which I suppose is more common in this part of the country than in a place like Michigan where I grew up. So imagine that; I'm a part of a tradition that springs from my ancestral background.

The first thing you have to do is make this really excellent cake from scratch. Scary as that might sound, it really isn't all that difficult.


Grease and flour a 9x13" pan.
Beat 2 eggs for 5 minutes, then beat in 2 c. of sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. vanilla.
Then, beat in 2 Tbs. butter that have been melted in 1 c. of boiling hot milk.
Beat in 2 c. flour mixed with 2 tsp. baking powder.
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.


After baking the cake, let it cool, then cut it into, oh, about 36 rectangular pieces and frost them on all sides with this frosting:
1.5 sticks of butter
1 Tbs. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar (somewhere around 3 cups)
Add enough milk to make it easily spreadable.
Then, roll them in chopped peanuts and you're ready to eat! They also freeze just fine - take them out of the freezer half an hour before you want to eat them or eat them cold like my dad.