Delicious Reading: Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa from 'Steel Magnolias' and 'The Pioneer Woman'

Truvy: Where’s that other one you were telling me about ... Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa?

Clairee: That’s so easy you don’t have to write it down. Cup of flour, cup of sugar, cup of fruit cocktail with the juice. Mix it up and bake at 350 ‘til gold and bubbly.

Truvy: Sounds awfully rich.

Clairee: It is. So I serve it over ice cream to cut the sweetness.

In the movie version of “Steel Magnolias,” Truvy is credited with the Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa recipe, but in the play, that honor belongs to the former first lady of Chinquapin Parish, Clairee. This summer, I had the pleasure of playing her in the River Campus’ Summer Arts Festival production of the sentimental Southern comedy. While certain films and plays are associated with specific foods (tea and cake in “The Importance of Being Earnest,” spaghetti and meatballs in “Lady and The Tramp,” “Leave the gun; take the cannoli” in “The Godfather”) rarely is a whole recipe given. I decided I needed to see if anybody had made it. It turns out “The Pioneer Woman,” Ree Drummond of internet and Food TV fame, had!

I followed her recipe, since it provided just a bit more detail than Clairee’s — including a cook time of 45 minutes, since I wasn’t sure how long it would take to get “gold and bubbly.” The result is sticky, sweet and definitely comfort food. The Pioneer Woman suggests serving it with unsweetened whipped cream, but I found that Clairee’s encouragement to serve it over ice cream was right on. With all the fresh blueberries we currently have available, and with apples about to come into season, you might not need this recipe right now, but come winter, if you are craving a super simple and comforting dessert, those sassy gals from Truvy’s beauty shop have you covered.

Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa “Cake”

* 1 cup self-rising flour

* 1 cup sugar

* 1 can fruit cocktail with juice

* Softened butter, for pan

* Unsweetened whipped cream (or ice cream) for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking dish with butter.

Stir together flour, sugar and fruit cocktail with juice until just combined.

Pour into buttered pan and bake until gold and bubbly (45 minutes).

Serve warm with unsweetened whipped cream (or ice cream).

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About Brooke

Brooke Clubbs is a Jackson mom of three, a freelance writer and a communications instructor.