Featured Recipe - Pennsylvania Dutch Shoo-Fly Cake The Pennsylvania Dutch come from German descendants, primarily farmers who immigrated to the United States to escape religious persecution in Europe. Pennsylvania Dutch cooking represents both the German heritage and the farmers' need for hearty food associated with their heavily physical work. The word "Dutch" is a variation on the German word "Deutsch" meaning German. Not all Pennsylvania Dutch are Amish, though some are. This recipe is variation to Shoo-Fly Pie and produces a moist cake with a light crumb topping. Ingredients: 4 cups flour 2 cups brown sugar 3/4 cup butter 2 cups boiling water 1 cup dark molasses 1 teaspoon baking soda Preparation: Mix together the flour and brown sugar in a large bowl. Slowly mix in the butter and set aside one cup of this mix for topping the cake. In another bowl mix together the boiling water, molasses, and baking soda. Slowly stir this mixture in to the dry mix bowl. Grease and flour a 9-inch x 13-inch pan. Pour the mixture into the pan and top with the remaining crumb topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes. Print This Page