Dear Joanne,
I too have been looking for a Tennessee Tea Cake recipe. I came across this recipe below, but have not made it yet. It is a specialty recipe from the Candlelite Inn Bed & Breakfast that I imagine they serve at their Inn and it is published for all those innovative home chefs (like us!). The recipe calls for milk chocolate chips and seedless rasberry jam. I'm not a real chocolate person, and I don't exactly know what would happen if you just omitted the chocolate chips. Perhaps the Chef in Las Vegas can help me out with that hurdle? I really like the Tennessee Tea Cakes, simple and plain, with some lightly dusted powdered sugar on top. Perhaps this recipe, since it is "muffin like" could be adapted with a little experimenting. Here you go:

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TEA CAKES

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine butter, milk, and egg. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in milk chocolate chips. Spoon half of batter into the 12 muffin cups, filling half full. Spoon 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each muffin cup; top with remaining batter.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Yields: 12 muffins.