The War Cake

[Warph]

I Know.... I know.... you're wondering what the heck is Warph doing over here.  I eat too, ya know.  Here's one that I bet no one remembers:  "THE WAR CAKE"

For us "olders" in the family, a tradition and our favorite for Birthdays and "Occasions" is Grandma's "War Cake", a recipe that had its origins back in the 50's, 40's or maybe before, when eggs and sugar and other condiments were hard to get and in short supply.

Sometimes it gets frosted with "Gravy Frosting" and sometimes not...no matter... it is good either way.


War Cake
2 cups raisins - 1 lb
2 cups brown sugar - 1 lb
1 cup lard or oleo
3 cups water
1 heaping tablespoon of Pumpkin pie spice
or
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice


Combine and boil until raisins are swollen and cooked, then cool.

Combine with
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
Mix well and bake in greased pan at 300-350 for about an hour or until a wooden match doesn't stick...

Marvelous hot, and great if frosted. .. and our favorite....

And There You Have It...!!!!

[sixdogsmom]

Sounds good Warph! Maybe a relative of the poor boy cake I used to make, eegless, milkless, and butterless. Sounds awful, but it tasted good! It is the spices and raisins that make it. Thanks for posting this! 

[Jo McDonald]

Man - Oh - Man that sounds good.  Thanks Warph
Back in the 50's I made a cake with cocoa that was eggless and milkless,but as I remember it had lard in it.  I do not have the recipe anymore ( sadly ) but I baked it in a heavy aluminum skillet that had no handle, and it was so very, very good.

[Diane Amberg]

 Mom's Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake


3 cups flour   2 cups sugar   6T. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda  2 tsp. baking powder  2/3 cup melted shortening
2 cups water   2T. white vinegar   2tsp. vanilla

Combine all dry ingredients in one large bowl and all wet ingredients in another.
Pour the wet into the dry and mix until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake in 350 oven for about 25 min. Cool and serve with confectioner sugar if desired.

[Jo McDonald]

Thanks. friend !
Jo

[Diane Amberg]

You are very welcome. I thought that one might be close to what you used to have.