January 08, 2023
In the Kitchen with: Bobby Hicks from Retro Recipes Kitchen
Bobby Hicks is a content creator based out of South Florida, by way of NYC. He’s the creator of Retro Recipes Kitchen, where he recreates classic (and oh so tasty) mid-century dishes with his own special touch of humor!
By Eimy Figueroa
What’s your name and what are your pronouns? Tell us about yourself.
Bobby: Bobby Hicks (He/Him). I’m a 30-something cook that lives in South Florida, by way of NYC. I’ve spent more than a decade working as a content creator for brands and eventually creating my channel, Retro Recipes Kitchen.
My niche is all about recreating classic mid-century dishes from the hundreds of vintage cookbooks that I have to determine if we should bring it back or if it should stay in the past.
What will you be sharing with us today?
Bobby: I think everyone needs a really good dessert in their pocket that they can pull out, when company arrives or you just really need a good treat. My favorite cake is called the “$100 Devil’s Food Cake” from 1950, and it’s equally delicious as it is simple to make!
Ingredients:
- 1C Mayo
- 1C Sugar
- 2C Cake Flour
- 4T cocoa powder
- 1t Baking Soda
- 1t Baking Powder
- 1t Vanilla 1C Water
Instructions:
Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, and Cream together the Mayonnaise and Sugar in another bowl. In a third bowl mix your water with the vanilla extract. Alternate between the Dry ingredients and the Water bowl, adding a little into the mayo-sugar, and blending thoroughly before adding more. Work in stages like this until you’ve mixed everything together and then bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake. Any icing works with this and it is wonderfully moist for days.
TIP: Have a look at Bobby's TikTok video featuring this recipe to see it come to life!
What does tradition mean to you? What traditions do you hold close?
Bobby: I think tradition is honoring and remembering our memories. My entire brand is about embracing recipes that have been written by hundreds of different people, with their particular perspective on how something should be done.
It makes me so happy when someone comments about how a silly dish I made reminded them of their mother that made it every Saturday, or their Uncle who was the only one that ate it at family gatherings. These memories mean a lot to me because I’m helping keep that tradition alive.
Who do you typically share meals with?
Bobby: My partner, Keiko. She and I have been together for over 16 years, through thick and thin and my favorite time of the day is when I cook us dinner, we lay on our couch, watch a little tv and get to really unwind.
If you could have a meal with any three people, someone you know/don’t know/alive/dead, who would they be?
Bobby: I always think that this is such an awesome question, when I hear this asked. I find it especially difficult because I tend to live in the moment and feel like tomorrow I’d have a wholly different answer, but let’s say:
- My parents. They passed away a long time ago, but I’d love to have another meal with them at our family dinner table, with newspaper tossed on top, eating lobster and potatoes. That was always a core memory.
- Julia Child. I think her energy and lust for life is something that everyone claimed to be purely magnetic to be around, and I’d love to feel that, while eating Boeuf Bourguignon and mashed potatoes.
- Robin Williams. When I think of terrible losses in my generation, the loss of Robin Williams is one that still pains me. A large part of my childhood died when he passed and I’d love to have a moment to be in his gravity, while eating a pizza.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Bobby: I’d just like to thank anyone that has taken the time to read this journal! It truly means so much to me that I’ve managed to make some people happy and it really means so much when people interact with me online and find a little joy from my silly videos.
Let’s make 2023 a wonderful year because we all deserve it.
