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.

No-Sugar Cake

Sugar was rationed in the War, so cooks made do with less. In the modern world there's a focus on less refined, more natural cooking. Try this wartime recipe for Honey Cake.

There are more recipes here, too.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (some butter can be used in place of some of the shortening)
1 cup honey
1 egg, well beaten
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sour milk (1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar)
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Cream shortening in bowl. Add honey and egg.

In bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add alternately with sour milk to shortening mixture. Add nuts.

Pour batter into greased and floured 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Smooth top of batter with spatula. Batter will be sticky. Bake in preheated oven 35 minutes or until done.

Recipe makes about 12 servings.