War Cake
Discover the nostalgic charm of War Cake, a humble yet flavorful dessert born out of necessity during wartime rationing. This vintage recipe requires no eggs or milk, relying instead on pantry staples like brown sugar, raisins, and warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for its rich aroma and moist texture. Simmering the raisins in a spiced sugar mixture infuses the cake with a deep, caramel-like flavor, while a simple blend of flour, baking soda, and baking powder creates a tender crumb. Perfectly suited for coffee breaks or teatime, this one-pan cake is easy to make and serves as a delightful reminder of culinary ingenuity. For a finishing touch, enjoy it plain or with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Looking for a budget-friendly, dairy-free dessert? War Cake is an enduring classic you’ll love.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups raisins
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the raisins, water, brown sugar, vegetable shortening, cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the cooled raisin mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice and serve the cake as is or with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
353 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 6.5 g | 8% | |
| Saturated Fat | 1.7 g | 8% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 294 mg | 13% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 73.2 g | 27% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.5 g | 9% | |
| Total Sugars | 44.7 g | ||
| Protein | 4.2 g | 8% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 56 mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 2.4 mg | 13% | |
| Potassium | 333 mg | 7% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
