Victory Cake

So called Victory Cake was designed to make use of fewer eggs and less sugar and other rationed items during WWII. When it comes to the sweetener you can substitute light corn syrup for the honey. The original 1943 recipe was published by the makers of Royal Baking Powder (you can certainly substitute another brand). So bake for Victory, and let us know how you liked it.

One-Egg Cake

1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
1 cup milk
2 cups cake flour
2 ½ teaspoons Royal Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Cream shortening well; add sugar slowly, beating in well. Add beaten egg and vanilla; beat until blended. Blend honey and milk. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with liquid to first mixture. Bake in greased square pan (8 x 8 x 2 inches) in moderate oven at 350 degrees F about 1 hour or in 2 greased eight-inch layer cake pans at the same temperature about 30 minutes. Makes 1 eight-inch or 1 two-layer cake.

WWII Recipe: More With Less - Canned Peaches

Sugar and other foods were strictly rationed during World War II. This authentic war recipe from the National World War II Museum shows homemakers how to turn a can of peaches into a mouth-watering jello-ed dessert. Try it and let us know how you enjoyed it.







Peach Fantasy
(Serves 6; uses ¼ pkg.)

1 envelope gelatin
¼ cup cold water
¼ teaspoonful salt
1/8 teaspoonful ground cinnamon and cloves mixed
½ cup hot canned peach syrup or hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup canned peaches mashed
2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Soften gelatin in cold water. Add salt, spice, hot water or hot syrup. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add sugar, mashed peaches, lemon juice. Chill until mixture begins to thicken. Beat until frothy. Fold in beaten egg whites. Turn into mold that has been rinsed in cold water. Chill until firm. Serve in sherbet glasses. Garnish with peach slices. May be served with custard sauce made from leftover egg yolks.

Note: Any other available fruit may be substituted for the peaches.

Digging In at Buckingham Palace

The Queen, it seems, has a new hobby - growing veggies. For the first time since WWII a victory garden grows at her palace in London.

Can Do!

First it was Victory Gardens. Now add canning as another lost WWII art that's resurfaced during the Recession. Canning fruits and vegetables is experiencing a revival as US cooks seek to save money by preserving the fruits of their labors. Here's an article in the New York Times that documents the surging interest. And here's a list of canning do's and don'ts.