WARTIME CHRISTMAS CAKE(adapted from 1914)

                "At Christmas, all roads lead home..." 
                         -Marjorie Holmes (1910-2002 Bestselling Christian author)

    WARTIME TIME CHRISTMAS CAKE 

            (adapted from 1914)                    

(This cake dates back to the First World War when ingredients were scarce and lard was used for fat. Here  a call for butter. Cooks had to scrimp and save to make the special cakes and puddings for Christmas. The original recipe is from my mother's collection)

I've updated this cake a bit. Added a few more ingredients. And baked it in a 13x9 parchment lines pan so it turns into squares. 

If people don't like fruitcake they usually like this. Medium colour.  Freezes well.  Good for midnight snacking...............Perfect for last minute baking. I chop mine up in little squares and stuff into a ziploc bag and they hunker down in the freezer.
                                        

PREHEAT oven to 325 Degrees.

1/2 pound stoned raisins ( many moons ago  a good cook had to take the seeds out of the raisins…….)

3/4 cup BUTTER  

1  and  3/4 cups brown sugar

I added 3 eggs. In  wartime eggs were strictly rationed and cooks had to be very clever in how eggs were used. Original recipe did not use eggs. But I did.

 1 cup warm coffee or tea with an extra slog of rum or Grand Marnier  in the mix.I don't measure this. Just go with what looks okay. 

 2-3 tablespoons of golden syrup

1 1/2  cups flour

1 Tbsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 tsp each, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg

1 large carrot grated finely

                               
ADD: 2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans. 1 1/2 cups peel, and 2 cups red and green candied cherries, or dried , if you wish.

1. Boil the raisins in the liquid ( stone them first………yeah, yeah, it’s not what you think) for 15 minutes. You can also add 2 cups prunes or dates to this mix.

Be sure to let the rains cool somewhat. Hot raisins will curdle the dough.

4. Sift dry ingredients, including spices, all together.

Beat Butter, sugar, eggs, coffee/tea, golden syrup,  grated carrot  together. Add to raisins. Add alternately with the dry ingredients. 

Add rest of fruit and nuts to mixture at very end.

Take a 13x9 pan. Spray with veggie spray and line with parchment.

Dump in batter. Spread evenly.

Bake at 325 for about 45-50 minutes till lightly browned.

I actually had to bake it a little longer......just test as you go.

During the first world war, people were encouraged to buy sensible gifts. Presents for soldiers were sent away, and included such things like wallets, gloves, pipes, watches, something to write letters home.

During the entire war, the post office of the army delivered 114 million parcels from the UK to the front lines, and over 2 billion letters.

Other presents that were sent: harmonicas, books, cigarettes and even Christmas puddings, and fruitcakes if possible. Would have been an incredible treat. 

It wasn't possible to have an extravagant Christmas, but people at home  continued to sing songs, and do charity work and be really smart about their cooking  because there was so much rationing.  A deliberate defiance against the  death and destruction of war. 

"For the Spirit of Christmas fulfills the greatest hunger of mankind." - Loring A. Schuler (1886-1968 American Author)