ByGetty Stewart
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Try war time recipes to start a Remembrance Day conversation around your table.
Also Read: War Time Applesauce Cookies, Extending Butter – A Rationing Hack from War Time, Tasty Vegetable Loaf from WWII
Remembrance Day is a time to remember the sacrifices of all those who have served on our behalf in times of war, armed conflict and peace. Wearing a poppy, participating in Remembrance Day activities, pausing for a minute of silence at 11 am, visiting a local veterans’ cemetery, or writing to Canadian troops currently serving are some ways we can remember and honour those who have served.
Another way to start a conversation to remember is through experiencing some war time recipes. This will give everyone a glimpse of what rationing was like for the “Housesoldiers” at home and what was considered a treat from home on the front lines.
Canadian housewives, aka “Canadian Housesoldiers” were encouraged to “Cook to Win” and prepare“appetizing and nourishing meals that protect and preserve the health of their families.” The challenge was to do so with fewer resources.
Economy Recipes for Canada’s Housesoldiers (Toronto: Canada Starch, 1943)
In addition to periodic rationing of sugar, coffee, tea, butter and meat between 1942 and 1945 there were also calls to plant victory gardens, preserve produce, collect fat and bones for munition production and to eliminate any food waste. My predecessors, Home Economists with the federal and provincial governments, electric companies and major food corporations jumped on board with advice columns, recipes and pamphlets designed to help housewives succeed on the home front.
These booklets and more on Canada during wartime, including nutrition, rationing and food are available atwww.wartimecanada.ca.
For a taste of rationing, try one of these two War Cake recipes.
War Cake or Boiled Raisin Cake
War cake or boiled raisin cake was a popular cake as it used no butter, milk, sugar or eggs. It could be made with molasses, honey, syrup or brown sugar – depending on what was available. Because it has a long shelf life and is very dense it was often wrapped up and sent overseas – a journey that could take several months.
Here are two versions, one using molasses and one using brown sugar. The original source of these recipes is unknown but versions of these recipes are posted on various internet sites.
Recipe for Molasses War Cake
Print Recipe
4 from 5 votes
War Cake - Molasses
Molasses adds a dark colour and distinct flavour to this war time cake. The raisins and spices add interest and flavour. This is a great replica of the long lasting, dense cakes made with limited or rationed ingredients and sent to soldiers oversees.
Prep : 15 minutes mins
Cook : 45 minutes mins
Servings: 1 bundt
Ingredients
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup corn syrup light or dark
- 1 1/2 cup boiling water
- 2 cups raisins
- 2 Tbsp shortening
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
In large pot combine molasses, corn syrup, water, raisins, shortening, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
Boil for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
Combine flour mix with molasses mixture and beat well.
Divide batter between two well-greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans or one bundt pan.
Bake 45 minutes or until cake starts to pull away from the edge of a pan or skewer poked in cake comes out clean.
Notes
Yield 2 loaves or 1 bundt pan
Serve with apple sauce or whipped cream (a luxury soldiers would not have had).
Tried this recipe?Mention @GetGettyS or tag #GetGettyS
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Remembrance Day, wartime
Recipe for Brown Sugar War Cake
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote
War Cake - Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 2 cups raisins
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups flour
Instructions
In large pot combine sugar, water, shortening, raisins, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
Boil for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder.
Mix flour with raisin mixture.
Pour into a greased and floured 8 inch square pan (batter will be stiff).
Bake 45 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Mention @GetGettyS or tag #GetGettyS
We tested both versions several times and one year, I made several war time treats for my son’s Cadet Remembrance Day Service. My family prefers the brown sugar raisin cake but the Cadets devoured everything. Maybe like the soldiers in the trenches – they’d eat anything resembling a treat!
The Oatmeal Jam Squares came from page 18 of the Robin Hood Flour Recipe booklet. Here’s the recipe and how they looked.
Making cake without sugar, butter, eggs and milk is not easy. You gotta hand it to those housesoldiers for doing the best they could with what little they had. Could you do it?
Will you try one of these recipes to see? If you do let me know what you thought and what your family thought – did it make you think/reflect? I’d love o here your thoughts, leave a comment here or on social media, I’m on Instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.
Getty Stewart is aProfessional Home Economist, speaker, frequent media guest and writer dedicated to putting good food on tables and agendas. She is the author of severalrecipe bookson enjoying and preserving fruit, Founder ofFruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.Sign up toget articles by Gettydelivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this.
