My Mama made numerous cakes from scratch each Christmas and stored them in lard cans on the back porch to stay cool. She placed a “wet” rag over the fruit cake which we later learned had been soaked in Jack Daniel’s!!! She also placed a half of an apple in some of them to keep them moist. Yum! Among those she made, bless her soul, were white coconut for my brother, yellow coconut, fruit cake, jam cake, chocolate cake with white icing for me, pineapple upside down cake for my sister, yellow cake with carmel icing and sometimes a nut cake for Daddy. Of course Daddy loved the fruit cake. It is the only one we children still will eat. My sister makes it now and carries on the tradition since I can’t. She mails my brother one but I have to do without!! Boo Hoo.
We had boiled custard and ambrosia which we have discussed recently. Mother’s boiled custard is the only custard I like. One has to stir, stir and stir while it is cooking so it doesn’t curdle.
My Aunt Lucille made it too. Hers was different. It depended on the cook and how she flavored it.
We used to have to wait until the adults ate at Mama Tolleson’s house before we got to eat any meal. We’d peek around the door facing and see my Uncle pull the curtain over the closet door in the dining room to get out a bottle. All the men would flavor their custard. My Uncle Carl who was a minister, always reprimanded them about drinking spirits. To this day, I do not care for liquor in my boiled custard. It is too good to mess up! Now, a hot toddy is another story!! 
Let me quit jabbering and write the recipe.
I will be making this for Christmas more than once!
Oh yes, I wanted to tell you on snow days, Mama would call my sister and me to come up for supper. We’d have chicken and dressing, green beans, sweet potatoes along with a fresh coconut cake and custard. Man, that was good on a snowy day just like on Christmas Day.
Thanks for the memories.
Enjoy, my Mama’s Boiled Custard
Boiled Custard
1 gallon milk
8 eggs separate yolks from whites
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp flavoring ( I had to come back to add flavoring in their day was Vanilla. They didn’t use liquor in their cooking. I recommend REAL Vanilla instead of imitation.)
Dash of salt
Beat 1 1/2 cup sugar into egg yolks. Stir 1/2 cup sugar into beaten whites. Mix in custard while hot but not boiling.
My sister said to tell you:
MAKE SURE YOU PUT SOME WARM MILK IN THE EGG MIXTURE BEFORE YOU ADD THE EGG MIX TO THE CUSTARD
NL Ladybug
Jesus Is The Reason For The Season