For nine decades, Our State has made its way into homes across North Carolina, the United States, and the world. To celebrate, every month this year, we’re paying tribute to the readers who inspire us, offering a taste of our earliest recipes, and revisiting old stories with new insights. Follow along to find out how our past has shaped our present.

October 1, 1972 • In the fall, those who grew sorghum pressed their harvest into gallons of sweet syrup and gathered friends and family to help cook the liquid down into sorghum molasses. Mrs. R.R. Miller, who submitted her mother’s sorghum cake recipe told The State, “If you have never tasted hot biscuits and butter, spread with new warm homemade molasses and [served with] a cup of hot coffee, you have missed one of the better things in life.”

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

½ cup boiling water
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup sorghum molasses
1 large egg, beaten
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, pour boiling water over butter and stir. Add sugar and sorghum molasses, and mix on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and continue mixing for 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger. Gradually add dry ingredients to batter and mix on low speed until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared dish and bake for 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream.

— Recipe adapted by Lynn Wells