Sea Room
War Cake
"And
evenings they were treated to wartime
dessert recipes...which they ate huddled behind
the blackout curtains in a tiny pool of light from
the lone bulb above the table. This, after a
meal
prepared with the aid of a newly published
pamphlet called Victory Meat Extenders, which
contained a disheartening number of bland and
grainy recipes."
-Chapter 8
War Cake
This was a popular cake during the war years because it doesn't call
for expensive milk, eggs, or butter.
It makes a dark, heavy cake that can be mixed in one pan
and the longer you keep the cake, the better it gets. Nana couldn't vouch
for that since the cake disappeared too quickly.
I. Ingredients
2 cups brown sugar (1 pound box dark or light)
2 cups hot water
1-2 pounds raisins, seedless
4 Tablespoons lard or shortening
2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
2 teaspoons cloves, ground
1 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Tablespoons luke-warm water
3 cups flour
2. Directions
Combine first 7 ingredients (brown sugar, hot water, raisins,
shortening, cinnamon, cloves, and salt) in a 4 quart pot and bring to a
boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
When cold (which can take quite some time
unless you are making it in the winter and can put it outside) add
baking soda to luke-warm water then add to the pot. Then blend in the
flour 1/2-1 cup at a time.
Pour batter in to an greased loaf pan. Bake at 350°F.
degrees for 2
hours. Let cool, then remove from pan.
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