I read a lot of different newspapers online. Before you think I'm going all political and newsworthy on you, I confess that it's usually involving celebrity, fashion, or recipes. Today I just read an article from the Winston-Salem Journal reporting on the Dixie Classic Fair's Creative Collards Contest. This year's winner is Dinah Reece of Pfafftown. She won with her collard greens cake.

I love my greens. After all, I was born and brought up in Georgia so put a plate of turnips (with corn dodgers) or collard greens in front of me and you've got a happy girl here. But, a collard greens cake? Even with cream cheese icing I'm having problems getting past the greens. ugh...I think I just turned a little green myself.

If you're into trying out weird stuff here's the prize winning recipe:

Collard Greens Cake

First place by Dinah Reece. To get the collards finely chopped, Reece used a food processor.

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil, divided use

4 eggs, divided use

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups cooked fresh collards, drained and finely chopped

2 cups raw apples, cored peeled and finely chopped

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup raisins

¾ cup chopped pecans

Cream-cheese frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened

2 pounds powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup pecans

Milk

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three round, 9-inch cake pans.

2. Beat sugar and ¾ cup oil in electric mixer until well combined. Add 2 of the eggs and the vanilla; mix well. In a blender, put remaining ¼ cup oil, remaining 2 eggs and all of the collards. Blend until smooth, until tiny flecks of collards remain visible. Stir collard mixture into batter along with the apples.

3. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Use 2 tablespoons of flour mixture to toss with raisins and pecans. Stir remaining flour mixture into egg mixture; mix well. Fold in the flour-coated raisins and pecans.

4. Divide batter into the three prepared pans. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or just until done.

5. Cool the cake in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

6. To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and pecans. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, to reach desired frosting consistency.

7. Assemble and frost middle layers, sides and top of cake.