CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS CAKE

 1865

“In order to make it look much like Christmas as possible, a small tree was stuck up in front of our tent, decked off with hard tack and pork, in lieu of cakes and oranges, etc.” 
-Alfred Bellard, 5th New Jersey

CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS CAKE This is a very different sweet than what we are used to these days, or what we would deem a Christmas cake. The cakes we make are full of butter, oodles of fruit, nuts, booze.Some are good. Some are not so good. This particular one is gentle and simple with easy ingredients. No eggs, No dairy. It's main ingredients are apples ....

 FIRST INGREDIENTS: 
3 med. sized apples, cubed

                 

NEXT:Grate the apples

 IN a large pot, ADD APPLES TO: 
2 cups raisins
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 c. water
2 tbsp. lard

SECOND INGREDIENTS: (COMBINE together)

2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. flour 

 Have ready:  another 1 ½ cups more of flour, for the finished batter. Do not add at this point.

 Boil together fruit and sugar ingredients. About  5 minutes. Cool.This can be put in fridge  or freezer to cool. Speeds up the cooling time.

 The cooled fruit Mix will look something like this:

 Add dry ingredients to cooled fruit mixture. Stir together using a wooden spoon (do not beat). Add enough additional ( your extra 1 1/2 cups flour)  flour to make a liquid batter of the same consistency as a cake mix. You will need to guesstimate the flour, till it looks right.

 Transfer batter to a greased, and parchment lined , angel food pan and smooth over the top with the back of a spoon or spatula.

 Bake in a preheated 325°F oven until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean . 

 I estimated the baking time to take about 1 1/2 hours. The batter is fairly wet,, so you have to make sure the cake bakes thru.  It is well worth the time. The scent of the cinnamon and spices  makes the entire house smell like Christmas.

 In Civil War times, a broom straw was often used to test the cake.

 When cake is done, it will spring back in centre when touched lightly with fingertips. It is a delicate apple/raisin cake , moist and tender....

 During the war, there was a profound sadness that set in. Christmas was a time for the men to escape from the turmoil. To remember their loved ones and for their loved ones to remember them.“It is Christmas morning and I hope a happy and merry one for you all, though it looks so stormy for our poor country, one can hardly be in merry humor.” - Robert Gould Shaw,  Commander of the 54th Massachusetts 

 1865

“It is rumoured that there are sundry boxes and mysterious parcels over at Stoneman’s Station directed to us.  We retire to sleep with feelings akin to those of children expecting Santa Claus.”-John Haley, 17th Maine
                               

Photographs 2018