I am currently working on the second time through the World War II years and found this recipe of my grandma Myrtie Briggs. I know that sugar was rationed, so I wouldn’t think this cake could be made too often.
Canadian War Cake or Butterless, Eggless, Milkless Cake
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups hot water
4 tablespoons lard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves or nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1. Boil together for five minutes after they begin to bubble.
2. When cold add 3 cups flour and 2 teaspoons of soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water.
3. Line pans with oil paper.
4. Bake in two loaves in a slow oven for 1-1/4 hours.
Kim I would guess 350′ would be a good temp for a slow oven.
My mother cooked on a cook stove that you had to heat by wood and it had an oven she baked in. I wonder now how she did it! We did have a kerosene stove that had burners and an oven. Maybe that you could regulate the temperature on it, not sure.
I used to bake things in the kerosene stove oven. It cooked like our gas stoves do now.
I think Margie has the right idea of butter and oil to replace the lard since lard is bad for cholesterol!
Let us know how the cake comes out, and what you find the tempature of “a slow oven” to be.
Thanks for your comment Margie.
Am going to try this, omiting the lard. Will use butter and oil instead. I love all these tid bits you post. Amazing job your doing.