Name: Vintage Wartime Cake
Cook time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 pound raisins; 2 cup water; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 cup shortening; 4 1/2 cup cake flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg; 1 teaspoon cloves; 1 cup nuts (optional); __BLANK__; For the Caramel Frosting; 3/4 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup water; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoon butter; 2 1/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla

Vintage Wartime Cake

3 Comments

This eggless, butterless and milkless cake used to be a staple during times of war and now it's revered as one of the most budget-friendly and trusted easy cake recipes ever. Try making this Vintage Wartime Cake and get a taste of simpler times. Made with raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg, this cake is as flavorful as it is easy to make. You won't find many dessert recipes like this nowadays, so be sure this recipe stays in safekeeping.

Cooking Time55 min

Ingredients

1 pound raisins
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening
4 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 cup nuts (optional)
For the Caramel Frosting
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 1/4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine raisins, sugars, 1 cup of water, shortening, salt and spices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool until lukewarm, then add the other cup of water.
Dissolve baking soda in 2 teaspoons of water, set aside.
Stir sifted and measured flour into raisin mixture and beat until smooth. Add dissolved baking soda last.
Pour into greased and floured 13" x 9" pan and bake 50-55 minutes. It may also be cooked in a tube pan.
Prepare the Caramel Frosting: Combine sugar, water and salt in a saucepan. Cook 6 minutes, stirring often.
Cool to lukewarm and stir in 3 Tbsp. of butter. Then gradually stir in confectioners sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in vanilla and spread on cake.

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kgoebelbecker 1379 118

Dec 23, 2013

My mother made this for use when I was a little girl. She baked it in a jelly roll pan (a cookie sheet with sides) and instead of icing, she would mix powdered sugar with water and a little vanilla and drizzle it over the still warm cake. She called it "Poor Man's Cake" and it was served like a bar cookie. Thank you for the memory. I am making these for the holiday and introduce them to my grand children

bsnoddy 9792670

Jul 31, 2013

I am very anxious to try this recipe. However, we really don't care for raisins that much. Do you think chopped dates would be all right? I am rating it awesome even before I try it!

mizmarple

Dec 24, 2012

This is just a variation of the Depression cake, but that recipe uses 1 TBSP shortening, not 1 CUP - I think that's a mistake. The Depression cake recipe uses all brown sugar, and it also doesn't have a frosting. You can find the original Depression cake recipe on Allrecipes.com