Now, How About Vintage Cakes?

[sandylc]

jmcarthur8 and Ruthie have been talking about vintage pies - anyone for vintage cakes?

These two come to mind: Sausage Cake and Seed Cake.

There is a restaurant/bakery in Minneapolis that serves "sausage bread" made with bison. This tripped a switch in my memory, and I looked up sausage cake - sure enough, there it was, with pork rather than bison, of course! Since the recipe from the restaurant has been published, it's easy to see that the recipes are virtually the same -

Here is proof that the old recipes can see a new life - and a profitable one, at that!

I would love a good English recipe for seed cake, myself.....

[mbroke]

Man this list moves fast! The Cookbook of the month was the one I replied to at http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/896695

Over the last couple of days, I've made three cakes from this book (Memories: Vintage Cakes) for a fundraiser and a birthday party and I am very happy. I've tried so far: Devil's Food Cake, Creole Beauty Cake, and Pound Cake because I had most of the ingredients in my pantry.

I am thrilled there is a photo for every recipe! I will be trying more before the weather gets too hot to bake.

[mbroke]

I just replied in the cookbook section about this! I just purchased a copy of Memories: Vintage Cake Recipes by Becky Johnson and I can't wait to bake something from it. I had been searching forever for a modern book of vintage recipes (that hadn't been modernized) that also had photos. It is so important to have a photo with a recipe.

The recipe that strikes me as interesting is the Husband's Cake. It is made with tomato soup of all things! The other ones that look good are the Dundee cake and poppyseed cake.

[almond tree]

I make a Dundee cake from the 1970s edition of Fannie Farmer, substituting dried apricots, prunes & dates for the candied fruit called for. It is really moist & good.
Wonder if it's the same recipe as the one you refer to?
BTW where's the cookbook section? I don't see it on the category list.

[denverdoni]

The first one I thought of was Mayonnaise Cake. My mom used to make that one and it was really good. I can't see people nowadays heaping cups of mayo into a cake recipe. They don't know what they are missing. The tunnel of fudge cake came into fashion when I was a kid. I remember making it with the powdered frosting mix. Mom had a Pillsbury Bake Off cook booklet with the picture on the front cover. It was grand prize winner that year. I made 2 Boston Cream Pies on Sunday. Cheated and used pudding mix for filling. I usually do ganache for the frosting, but I had a craving for that cocoa frosting from the Texas sheet cake, and it is pourable so it worked nicely. I torted and filled the layers and chilled for a bit before pouring the frosting on. My 86 year old dad was very happy when I showed up with one for him on Monday morning.

[hotoynoodle]

i don't know why people freak out about mayo -- it's oil and eggs!

[Ruthie789]

Do pudding cakes count? I just made a cottage pudding for our supper. It's and old recipe dating back to the 1930's.

[Ruthie789]

The thread on the ricotta torte pear cake reminded me of a cake my friend's Mom used to make, Blitz Torte. Torte cakes all sorts are not often seen today.

[jujuthomas]

oh, I just remembered the picnic cake - which was a yellow cake sprinkled with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and brown sugar! that's from my grandmother on the other side... I made this over the summer for a family reunion and everyone got very nostalgic - there wasn't a single piece left. :)

[javaandjazz]

Do any of you like Harvey Wallbanger cake? This was my Aunt Marian's bring to a party cake. It was requested all of the time and even though it has alcohol in it, us kids still got to eat it. I still carry on her tradition today expcet I put an icing on it. She never did, she dusted it with powdered sugar. You can't taste the alcohol though. Here is the recipe.

Aunt Marian’s Harvey Wallbanger Cake

1 package yellow cake mix with pudding in the recipe
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/4 cup vodka (flavored if you prefer-vanilla or orange)
1/4 cup Galliano
3/4 cup orange juice

Mix all of the ingredients in a mixer until well combined and pour into a greased and floured pan(s) of your choice. Bake according to the instructions on the box. Frost with either a dusting of confectioner’s sugar or vanilla buttercream icing.

[pinehurst]

I like your Aunt's style, java!

[javaandjazz]

It really is a good cake even though you cheat using the box mix!

[Ruthie789]

The Harvey Wallbanger conjures up vintage cocktails and drinks. Does anybody want to start on thread on vintage liquor consumption?

[javaandjazz]

I think I have also thrown an extra box of pudding mix in the recipe too.

[Ruthie789]

As many people no longer like to eat it, fruitcake.

[subrosa39]

If it was made without peel, more people would like it. Seems a British thing - like marmalade.

[Ruthie789]

And currents!

[subrosa39]

Absolutely! I always substitute raisins in any recipe that calls for them.

[sandylc]

In the US, dried currants are actually raisins. I think on another thread it was established by people who know more than I do that currants in England are actually dried currants.

[Caitlin McGrath]

According to the BBC, dried currants in Britain are grapes, also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/currant

This page says the same: http://britishfood.about.com/od/gloss...

I find that currants have a more concentrated and complex flavor than raisins, and I like their petite size. But then, I also like fruitcake (and candied peel).

[prima]

Lemon lime poke cake/icebox cake/refrigerator cake, calling for yellow cake mix, lemon pudding, lime jello and Dream Whip. I made a cupcake version of this last night.

[Ruthie789]

Sandlyc, most of the posts are about sweet cakes. You have mentionned a sausage cake. I have never thought about cakes being savory are there other examples of savory cakes?

[sandylc]

While I love the idea of a savory cake....the sausage cake is actually somewhat sweet - !

Here is the Hell's Kitchen Bison Sausage "Bread":

http://tanglednoodle.blogspot.com/200...

But you do indeed open up a whole new idea about savory cakes......I have to think about this.....

[Ruthie789]

One cake from way back when is fruit cocktail cake. Here`s a link for a recipe:
http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2...

[Georgia Strait]

daffodil cake - swirls of white angel food batter mixed with swirls of yellow batter in the classic angel food cake pan - then iced with an orange scented glaze icing - just google - you'll see pix and recipes in the results.

oh - and pineapple upside down cake - in a pie plate - with the preserved cherries (the type you use for xmas cake)

[pine time]

Pina colada cake, circa 60s-70s. Easily my favorite from back in the day. Coconut and booze--easy to love.

[Ruthie789]

Has booze fallen out of favour in cakes these days?I do not notice that many cakes with liquour.

[Jay F]

I never put booze in cakes. I don't drink. When I order dessert out, I always ask if there's any booze in it, and if there is, I don't order it. Maybe lots of people who don't want booze in their cakes ask as well.

Even when I drank, though, I didn't like booze in cakes, except certain liqueurs (Chambord, Grand Marnier, Frangelico, Amaretto).

[AnneInMpls]

I, on the other hand, LOVE booze in my cakes - even the embarassing pudding-and-cake-mix extravaganza that is the classic Baccardi Rum Cake. (My in-laws make this every year for Christmas dinner, and I can't get enough!) Let's face it - if there's booze in the cake, I'll love it.

But I'm old enough that I don't think of alcohol-enhanced cakes as "vintage" cakes. That came in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. My idea of a vintage cake is a recipe from the '20s, '30s, or '40s.

[sandylc]

I loved that cake so much that at one point I figured out how to make it from scratch instead of the boxes....hm-mm, I wonder where that recipe is - ????

[julesrules]

If you find it let us know! I'd love to do it from scratch with a tnt recipe.

[sandylc]

I can't find it! I must not have written it down - I think I just combined some of my other recipes....

But I have made this one and it is highly acceptable:

http://www.cookingbythebook.com/cookb...

[Island]

Pine time. Please tell me more! What's the booze. Do you have a favorite recipe for pina colada cake? Love pineapple and coconut!

[Jay F]

Sandy, have you seen this book called Vintage Cakes? In this age of no bookstores, I haven't looked at it myself, but it's certainly in line with your thread theme.

http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Cakes-T...

[sandylc]

Thanks! The cover looks pretty....just requested it from the library. Oddly, there are two recent books by that title, different authors, so I will look at both of them!

[Jay F]

I just reserved mine at the library, too. They only have the Jane Richardson one. The other writer, Jane Brocket, appears to be from England (or somewhere else they speak non-American English), so it'll be interesting to read both.

It looks from the Amazon descriptions and reviews as if Jane Brocket's recipes are actually "vintage," whereas Jane Richardson's book is criticized for having recipes she has "modernized."

[sandylc]

Got the two Vintage Cakes books, but the Brass Sisters hasn't come in yet.

Sat with a sick friend today, so got a chance to read through most of them.

The books were clearly one Amercian and one English, even without knowing that in advance!

They were completely different books and both very intriguing. I can see why purists might criticize Julie R.'s book (the American one) for being modernized. That said, for the most part she has made changes that I would absolutely also make if I made these cakes.

For example, many cakes from the past are made with shortening and there is no shortening in her book. I say: Thank you!

I. Will. Not. Use. Shortening. EVER. So, good going, Julie. She took the old recipes and made them better without changing their character and I say good for her.

Regarding the English book by Ms. Brocket, I liked it more for reading than for baking. Some of the recipes struck me as likely to turn out somewhat coarse and tasteless. Throwing together self-rising flour and some milk and sugar does not do it for me - I don't predict that this sort of recipe would be worth my trouble. It was still a pretty, interesting, and enjoyable book to read, however.

Jay, what did you think?

[Jay F]

I don't have the one I recommended, Sandy (actually, I don't have either of them). I'm waiting until I get an e-mail from my library saying it's ready to be picked up.

[sandylc]

My library beat your library ;-)

[Ruthie789]

Sandlyc, you might want to check out the baking book by the Brass Sisters. All recipes within are heirloom. As well The Kitchen Sisters have done a cookbook on vintage recipes.

[sandylc]

Had heard of them, but didn't know much, so I went to their website. Very interesting.....

[Ruthie789]

I keep taking the Brass Sister Heirloom Baking out at the Library. It has a number of cake recipes. It will be my next purchase as well as their Heirloom cooking recipes. The Kitchen Sisters had a recipe in Family Circle at Christmas for a Cranberry Spiced Coffee Cake it was delicious.

[sandylc]

I've requested it at my library....!

[sandylc]

Ruthie, thanks...just picked up the Brass Sisters Heirloom Baking at the library and it's packed full of a lot of interesting recipes!

[Ruthie789]

I keep taking it out of the library so maybe I should purchase it! They also have one on Heirloom cooking which my library does not have.

[sandylc]

$8.83 and no shipping at abebooks.......!

[Island]

Never favorites in my sphere, but chocolate Coca Cola cake and Mississippi mud cake are vintage.

[sandylc]

Oh yeah, Mississippi Mud! I've never made one because it looks just like a big ol' pile of super sugar - !

[jmcarthur8]

I used to make a delicious pineapple upside down cake from my old Betty Crocker cookbook. It used a separate recipe for the cake part that was called "Dinette Cake" I always loved that cute name, and the little cake really is good.
My mother, for special occasions only (or birthday requests) made Million Calorie Cake. It was a chocolate layer cake with a custard filling and sour cream chocolate frosting. Yum. I want to make one, but DH and I can't eat all that! I think I'll do one next time we have weekend guests so they can work on it, too.

[TorontoJo]

Only from 1968, but I'm about to make a Tunnel of Fudge cake for a vintage potluck a friend is throwing.

I have incredibly fond memories from my childhood of the original tunnel of fudge cake so I'm really excited to make it.

The original recipe used a frosting mix that is no longer available (though apparently there is a Jiffy mix that can be used instead), so Pillsbury came up with an adjusted recipe to account for it. Cook's Country evolved the recipe a bit to be a tiny bit more sophisticated with brown sugar and melted chocolate. This is the recipe I'm using:

http://www.annies-eats.com/2012/04/27...

Though I will be adding pecans or walnuts back into the recipe, like the original had.

I can't wait!

[MidwesternerTT]

I've made the Cook's Country version of the tunnel cake, which included 2 C. of walnuts (omitted from the linked annies version), and the cake was wonderful. Their glaze as originally published, however, was not - it had granulated sugar (not the corn syrup in annie's version) and came out grainy, too sweet, and twice as much as needed.

[TorontoJo]

Oh, that's good to know (both the good and the bad), thank you! I really can't tell you how much I am looking forward to eating this cake. It's been at least 30 years since my last taste of it. Granted, I was a child at the time, and it's likely that my childhood memories will be better than the real thing...but you never know!

[julesrules]

Do report back on this one, I've always been curious!

[TorontoJo]

I decided to do a test run of the cake prior to the potluck this weekend. Here's a photo of the finished cake, but I won't be cutting into it until tomorrow night, so I'll post with the results then!

[julesrules]

Looks great! Coming right over ;)

[TorontoJo]

Yeah, ok, that's a pretty damn tasty cake. Here's a photo of the inside.

I pulled it at about 38 minutes, as the 40 minutes in my test run cake was too dry. I also added 2 cups of pecans (as in the original recipe), which I highly recommend.

Try it, you'll like it. :o)

[prima]

beautiful!

[emily]

I'm going to have to try this tunnel of fudge cake. The authors of the Baked line of books have a version that has hazelnuts which I flagged, but I don't think it has the icing on the top...

[dfrostnh]

How old does a recipe have to be to be considered "vintage". Bundt cakes from the 70s were mentioned but I remember there were tunnel cakes from that time period. You needed a special bundt pan. Not sure if I still have mine or even if I ever had one. I remember my MIL making them when it was the fad.

[Ruthie789]

I have a lovely avocado green bundt pan which I picked up at a yard sale.

[hotoynoodle]

my mom used to make harvey wallbanger bundt cakes back in the day.

double whammy of retro!

[Sal Vanilla]

Oh my gorsh my mom made those. My parents thought they were very posh with their fancy galliano bottle displayed in their smoked glass clad wetbar!

[emily]

Ah, wetbars... our built-in-the-late-70s house had one of those when I was growing up!

[LJS]

Then there was the Christmas of the Bacardi Rum-Cake...maybe early '70's...I remember that every party we went to that year back in the days when folks HAD house parties, we were served the same cake. I even think it was a cake mix with the addition of white rum.

[Indy 67]

For your amusement, here's the original recipe for Bacardi Rum Cake. Perhaps a small distinction, but I think my copy of the recipe dates back to the late 60s rather than the early 70s judging by the format of the recipe and my handwriting.

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (18 1/2 oz) pkg yellow cake mix
1 (3 1/2 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup dark rum

Glaze:
1/4 lb. unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 10" tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan.

Sprinkle nuts over the bottom of the pan. Mix all the cake ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Place on wire rack to cool completely. While cooling, prepare glaze. (See below) When the cake is cool, invert onto serving plate. Prick top. Drizzle some of the prepared glaze over the top and along the sides. Pause and allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat until all the glaze is used up.

For glaze: Melt butter in small saucepan. Add water and sugar, stirring until sugar crystals dissolve. Boil 5 minutes, sitrring constantly. Remove from heat. Add rum and stir.

[julesrules]

I've made this, with pecans, for work xmas potlucks and it is a hit. Actually I skipped the pudding and subbed in an extra egg yolk and some corn starch I believe per a formula I found here on CH. Personally, I'd prefer it without cake mix because it does have "that" taste but otherwise, it is quite good. Apparently gets better as it sits and you must make it at least the day before serving.

[LJS]

1960's, you say...h-m-m-m, now that I recall, those house parties really were a long time ago!!! Thanks for recipe...this is a keeper.

[Wtg2Retire]

I just made one of those at my daughter's request. She was reminiscing about her long ago days of childhood and said this was one she remembered me making when we lived in Germany and that she sure would like to have the cake again. So I made her one and she was very, very happy.

[subrosa39]

The 70's are considered vintage? My grandmother's recipe notebook has handwritten recipes that call for butter, the size of an egg. What would that be ... about 1/4 cup? Her recipes must date back to the 1920's at least.

[Ruthie789]

Forty-three years ago, makes for a vintage recipe for me.

[jill kibler]

I love old cookbooks. I have a recent(1944) version of The Settlement Cookbook that has some great cake recipes in it that I have not tried, but want to. Some titles include

Cheap cake, Baking powder Bundt Kuchen, Graham Cracker cake....the list is huge.

I also have a 1950 version of Betty Crocker's Picture Book. I have made

Caramel (Burnt Sugar ) cake and I often make the frosting separately to put on

Cream cake or Black Devil's Food(Black Midnight) Cake.

Love this thread.

[sandylc]

Oh, you just reminded me of my favorite cake as a child! How could I have forgotten?

It was called Miami Beach Birthday Cake. It was a not-quite-chocolate cake (just a bit of chocolate or cocoa in the batter) that had a baked-in-the-bottom-of-the-pan streusel that had chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs in it. It was frosted with whipped cream, although my mom used Dream Whip.

Memories. I'll have to dig up that recipe and see if it still appeals.

[emily]

I googled Miami Beach Birthday Cake and it sounds interesting and good!

[sandylc]

Yeah, I looked it up, too! Another one of the bake-off winners from that bake-off-y era. I think my mom subbed in pecans for the walnuts, and as mentioned before, her precious Dream Whip instead of lovely whipped cream ;-(.

I might have to make this one for old times sake.

[Ruthie789]

My Mom used to have a little spiral notebook in it was a recipe for black midnight cake. I am writing it word for word it is high in sugar, this recipe has to be over 60 years old.
Black Midnight Chocolate Cake
Mix together, 1 cup of boiling water and ½ cup of cocoa and stir. Cream ½ cup of shortening and 1 ¼ cup of sugar, add 2 eggs, beat well. Sift together 1 ½ cup of flour, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Add the cocoa mixture to the creamed mixture, alternatively with the flour.
Bake at 350.
Caramel icing
3 cups of brown sugar, 1 stick of butter or oleo, 1 scant cup of milk. Stir than place on fire stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Boil to a soft ball stage and from there the recipe is torn, help please. I think it is cooled for 10 minutes and then iced on to the cake.

[sandylc]

That is similar to, but not exactly like, my grandmother's signature cake. She let the hot frosting ingredients stand for 30 minutes, then beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. She topped her cake with carefully sliced and arranged pecans.

[ola]

Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake.

[Ruthie789]

A silver white cake comes to mind. I picked up some cupcakes last year at a church sale and they were delicious. I found a link for such a cake below:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,176,15...

[rstuart]

That looks very good ruthie.. how did it taste? Pretty light and fluffy?

[Ruthie789]

It has a small crumb and it really does have a silver tone, it is not made with egg yolks but with egg whites. I bought some at a church fair awhile ago decorated with the little silver adornments. The cake used to be a common one years ago. It is also very delicate in flavour.

[Ruthie789]

I have been reminiscing too much about the cake, so I have one in the oven right now. Hope it turns out, maybe a picture can follow if I can figure out how to send it from my phone to my email address.

[Ruthie789]

It`s 9:30 at night and exceptionally we are all eating cake. First the recipe link is a good recipe, easy to do, the result two nice cake disks to decorate. It is a light and feathery cake and what is so great is the method, quick and easy. It was more off white in tone as opposed to silver however, not the same as what I had tasted previously but will make the recipe again, it is a keeper for me.

[rstuart]

Thanks Ruthie.. glad to know! I have clipped the recipe..

[Ruthie789]

I have made this cake twice now. Once with all purpose flour recipe and the other with a cake and pastry recipe. The cake and pastry recipe was dry but my initial link is a fast and easy and good tasting cake. I am thinking about putting lemon curd filling in the middle with some kind of vanilla icing for my next venture.

[relizabeth]

Here is a link to an English seed cake recipe:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyl...

[sandylc]

Caraway! I thought it was something like this....I would like to try this!

[Ruthie789]

It looks good and I like caroway in soda bread, must be good in a cake.

[Vidute]

i grew up with hot milk cake. my mom never frosted it, it was always served plain with a glass of milk. this cake is still my favorite, and still with a glass of milk.

[Dempsey]

Hot milk cake must have been a Middle Western favorite -- quick to the table, tasty, never any left over to go stale (as it did quickly).

[Vidute]

hmmm....when growing up, cake did "disappear" quickly, but, now, baking for one or two, the cake can last all week and i haven't noticed any staleness. it's moist to the last piece.

[Sra. Swanky]

V - please share if you have a recipe!

[Vidute]

Here ya go, Sra. Hope you enjoy!

Hot Milk Cake

(Bake at 325 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes if using two layer pans or for 55 – 60 minutes if using a single large pan.)

1 cup milk
¼ lb butter
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

Add butter to milk and scald. Set aside. Beat eggs. Add sugar and vanilla to eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix well. Add milk and butter and mix. Add baking powder and lightly mix. Pour into prepared pan.

[Sra. Swanky]

Sounds great! Love a recipe where I don't have to go grocery shopping - I already have all the ingredients! Thank you! :)

[Vidute]

You're welcome, Sra.

[Ruthie789]

I want to use this recipe to make cupcakes. It looks easy.

[Vidute]

It makes great cupcakes. I haven't had made cupcakes in years, so I'm not sure of the baking time.

[Ruthie789]

Maybe increase the temp by 25 degrees and bake for 20 minutes. A book called, Miette, features a hot milk cake, and it also looks good. I want to make some cupcakes if I ever get some free time.

[greygarious]

ATK or CC did a Lane Cake not long ago. There's a very long CH thread on Ebinger's Blackout Cake.

Hummingbird Cake is a favorite of mine that hasn't been mentioned yet.

[Ruthie789]

Greygarious what is a Lane Cake?

[greygarious]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lane_cake

[Ruthie789]

Thank you. I have an interest in Southern food so I do find that recipe is calling me. It seems that cakes are a fundamental in the South and always look elegant.

[sandylc]

Isn't Southern food fascinating?

[Ruthie789]

Yes it is, total hospitality,no skimping on quality ingredients or calories! Bordering on decadent.

[Ruthie789]

A few months ago I saw a recipe for a poke cake which was around way back when. Link below:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/f...

[sandylc]

Wow, that looks rich!

[Ruthie789]

Caloric, but have been waiting for a group occasion to test it out. I do like poke cakes, my friend`s Mom made a white cake with a jello inside it, I enjoyed it.

[Ruthie789]

Would a daffodil cake make the list? A yellow and white marble cake cooked in a bundt pan. Just going through the cake section in the Joy of Cooking and found it. Also noted, marble cake, buttermilk layer cake, seed cake with a notation that it is a Victorian era cake and that seeds were used to flavour instead of extracts. The Joy of Cooking has a recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake. Red Velvet Cake, Burnt Sugar Cake, Velvet Spice cake, Tomato Soup cake and a Texas Sheet Cake. I make Tomato Soup cake from time to time, and do find it Old School, it is spicy, and mine has candied fruits in it which may indicate some vintageness.(if that`s a word!)

[jujuthomas]

I always wondered what a daffodil cake was! :)

I have my grandmother's recipe for applesauce cake - dense, moist. wonderful.

[Ruthie789]

Applesauce cake sounds delicious. I used to have a great recipe which I have lost. Do you care to share?

[jujuthomas]

I'll try to remember when I get home. I had her make it for my college graduation and my bridal shower.

[jujuthomas]

Grandma McMullen's Applesauce Cake:
1/2 c shortening
2 c sugar
1 lg egg
1 1/2 c thick, unsweetened applesauce
2 t baking soda
1/2 c boiling water
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each cinnamon, cloves, allspice
1/2 c raisins

cream sugar and shortening, blend in egg and applesauce
combine soda and water
combine dry ingredients
mix water and dry ingredients into applesauce mixture alternately.
bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour in a 9x13 greased pan.

[Ruthie789]

Love that it is a simple one bowl concoction. Thank you for posting. Also like the spices, I will give it a try.

[Indy 67]

Not that it impacts the taste or even the relative simplicity of the recipe, but I count three bowls. One to cream together the sugar and shortening (egg and applesauce). One to combine the soda and water. One to combine the dry ingredients.

When I read the instructions, "mix water and dry ingredients into applesauce mixture alternately" I assume the instructions mean to add some of the water, then some of the dry, then some of the water, etc. That requires that each of the adding mixtures be already combined in a separate bowl. Perhaps JuJuThomas will clarify for all of us.

[jujuthomas]

Indy is correct, when I make this cake I have 3 vessels. usually 2 bowls and the measuring cup with the hot water and soda.
once the shortening sugar, egg and applesauce are mixed up, you mix in a little of the hot water mixture, then some of the dry ingredients...

[Ruthie789]

I see your point, it seems an uncomplicated mixture.

[jmcarthur8]

Agreed. I was taught in Home Ec years ago that 'alternately' meant 1/3 dry, then 1/2 wet, then 1/3 dry, then 1/2 wet, and finally 1/3 dry.
Three bowls it is.

[jarona]

As a borne New Yorker, one cake comes to mind when I think "vintage" cake. Ebinger's Blackout Cake. Ebinger's was a borough bakery. This blackout was amazing. Moist, deeply chocolate cake--a soft deeply chocolate ganache-y frosting and chocolate crumbs atop the frosting. Heaven. I believe Entenmans' tried duping it but it wasn't the same.
I swear I would walk barefoot over hot coals to have Ebinger's come back and bake those cakes. Best. Cake. Of. All. Time!

[iluvcookies]

My dad was Brooklyn born and raised... the Dodgers and Ebinger's are two things near and dear to his heart. Sadly both left NY before I was born and I've never had actual Ebinger's cake.

[jarona]

http://www.kitchenproject.com/history...

Here's a little history. There IS a recipe by Molly O'Neill but it just isn't the same. LOL--My own dad never, ever forgave the Dodgers for leaving Brooklyn. When he was a kid he spent a lot of time at Ebbet's field:)

[iluvcookies]

I recently acquired Molly O'Neill's book and might make the blackout cake for Dad next time he comes to visit, just to see what he thinks.
I was not aware of the kitchen project website though... pretty interesting, thanks!

[hotoynoodle]

zomg, reading through here i was thinking of ebinger's cakes! i was a little brooklyn girl, and have very fond memories of those cakes. especially since my family had excellent cooks but no bakers!

has anybody tried the on-line versions? there was a ny times article awhile back...

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/05/gar...

ah! now i see it's molly o'neill.

and before it was bought out and bought out there was entenmann's, also in brooklyn. not quite as good as ebinger's but very good crumb cake and coconut custard pie.

[Ruthie789]

What was your favorite cake from this bakery?

[hotoynoodle]

i was just a little kid, so too young to go shopping on my own, but the crumb cake was a staple in our home and was just the right balance with lots of brown sugar crumb topping and very delicate buttery cake below. perfect for afternoon tea/coffee or sunday breakfasts.

love crumb cake to this day.

[sandylc]

I love a good crumb cake! I have about 6 versions of it in my recipe box, but don't ever remember to label them regarding my favorite one(s)!

[hotoynoodle]

i like the smittenkitchen big crumb cake, but the cake is totally different than the old entenmann's version. that remains elusive.

[jarona]

LOL-this post enabled me to go to amazon and purchase O'Neill's book. Got it yesterday and I am going to make the version of blackout cake in the book. Not this weekend but next weekend!
I wish she had a recipe for crumb buns in that book--with big, enormous crumbs!!!

[Jay F]

Thank you, Jarona. This cake is now going to be made for someone's birthday tomorrow, and it's all your fault.

Yaaay!

[docfood]

McKenzies bakery in New Orleans made a blackout cake. Wow that does take me back to the 60's.

[Sal Vanilla]

From time to time I make Gale Gand's blackout. That is a terrific choice for a classic cake BTW.

Here it is if anyone has a hankering: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ga...

[Kholvaitar]

Another Gale Gand recipe is also tempting, perhaps vintage --

Spiced Walnut Carrot Cake with Pineapple

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ga...

[Sal Vanilla]

Ah carrot cake. Hey, What is that on my face? A nose you say!

With pineapple it sort of reminds me of Morning Glory Muffins. Yum.

[sandylc]

I have seen copycat Blackout Cake recipes that swear they have it right.

Here is ATK's version:

http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/d...

If you try it, please report back....!

oops, sorry...The page I clicked on said, "free recipe", then scroll down and they want you to register. Typical ATK antics.

[jarona]

Sandylc: God forbid Cooks or ATK actually give away a truly "Free" recipe! I do watch Kimballs' show, but I despise his marketing and solicitations--ugh. They are the ONLY website that really doesn't believe in the word "free"!

[Caitlin McGrath]

Here is the Cook's Country recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/chocolate-blackout-cake-327729

And a whole thread about it here on CH: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/331675

[jarona]

Thank you!

[Sal Vanilla]

My first cake I made was a bundt. They were all the rage in the 70's. They were boxed. My fave was a sugar and cinnamon swirl with cinnamon icing. You had cake then a layer of cin/sug and then more cake. Icing in a plastic pack.

I thought I was the height of sophistication with my various bundts. Can you buy those anymore?

[juliejulez]

Whenever I hear bundt cake I think of this scene from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPvO53...

I see them at the supermarket bakery though.

[Violatp]

HA! Me, too!

[HillJ]

http://www.foodlibrarian.com/p/i-like...

The Food Librarian celebrates the bundt! Some vintage some quite unusual.

[Sal Vanilla]

I think the streusel was what I made as a kid. The one on the food librarian site - I am gonna make it. The persimmon one intrigues me. I love a frostless cake.

[Island]

I still love bundt cakes! And so easy. Just made this berry on with a cup each of blue, black and raspberries.

Didn't have the heart shaped pan or do the fruit in the center, but it's a keeper. http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe...

Now if anyone can tell me how to fold in the raspberries without smashing them I'm all ears!

[Violatp]

How about using frozen raspberries?

[Sal Vanilla]

Yep. Or add them after you put in the batter - and have them dusted in AP. Then right into the oven it goes.

[Island]

They were dusted in flour. What's AP?
The berries were folded in after the batter was all mixed, but the batter is thick and the berries still flattened.

[hotoynoodle]

ap = all-purpose flour. dusting fresh or frozen berries with it helps to keep them from settling in the cake.

[Sal Vanilla]

What a terrific way to use the giant bag of mixed berries I bought at Costco when I decided I needed berries. Sigh.

I bet that is really good. Eggy little devilissimo.

[Island]

They have mixed berries at Costco? Will need to look for those1 never tried frozen berries, thought they might add too much moisture especially if still froxen as suggested by Violatp. No?

[Violatp]

I've never made this cake, but I make berry muffins quite often with frozen berries. Honestly, I don't see a difference in terms of moisture.

[HillJ]

Lovely! I love berry cakes! I usually add the berries to the bundt pan not the batter bowl and that cuts down on the breakdown and juices a bit.

[Island]

But how do you get them distributed throughout the cake? Would still require some folding and the unavoidable flattening wouldn't it? I love this cake and it's still tasty with beat up berries, but hoping some of the posted suggestions work! Thanks.

[HillJ]

Once I prepare the bundt pan (flour & butter) I add a bit of the batter, then a handful of berries, more batter, more berries, until all the batter and all the berries are layered in the pan. I don't find I need to use flour on the fruit and by doing a layering method I distribute the berries throughout the batter. Works well.

[subrosa39]

Good Tip! I use the same method when making Blueberry Loaf. I mix 1/2 the blueberries (floured) into the batter and then sprinkle the remaining blueberries over layers of batter. I serve it toasted for breakfast and each slice has a few berries. Next time I make it I may layer all the berries and not mix any into the batter.

[HillJ]

http://www.foodlibrarian.com/2011/11/...

This broken glass bundt takes the retro and vintage to a whole 'nother level.

[juliejulez]

I kind of just want to set it on my table, it's pretty.

[rstuart]

I LOVED broken glass when I was a kid.. my grandmother made it for the grandkids.. thought that it was the height of sophistication..

[MidwesternerTT]

Yes, you can still get the mixes -- the Nordic Ware (maker of the Bundt pans) factory and outlet store is near my home -- lucky me! And also easily find many, many recipes online. My favorite site for those is The Food Librarian http://foodlibrarian.blogspot.com/

[sandylc]

Hi, I was at that store recently...very nice.

[HillJ]

Ah I see another fan of the food librarian! We both posted her bundt page! Funny.

[Ruthie789]

The 70`s were great!

[HillJ]

Would an orange pound cake count?
My Mom didn't bake much but she adored pound cake and oranges. My Aunt would bake this for her. Deep orange flavor and color and super moist.

[MidwesternerTT]

Recipe, please! Whether it's "vintage" or not, that sounds like it would be wonderful and could be baked in a Bundt (tm) pan.

[HillJ]

My Aunt made 2 loaves but there's no reason why the recipe wouldn't work as a bundt. Here's the recipe she used:

2 sticks room temp unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups sugar (reserve ½ cup for the syrup)
4 large eggs
1/3 cup grated orange zest (I use about 5 large oranges)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup orange juice (save ½ cup for the syrup)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Set oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8” loaf pans. I line the bottoms with parchment. Cream the butter with 2 cups of the sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the orange juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes.
While the cakes bake, prepare the orange syrup with the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Let the cakes cool a bit, maybe 15 mins., but then take them out of the pans and spoon the syrup over the cakes.

[MidwesternerTT]

Yum - thanks

[Ruthie789]

This sounds very good.

[AnneInMpls]

Oh, this looks fabulous. Thank you, Hill J, for this recipe!

[HillJ]

My pleasure, Anne!

[Tehama]

You might like this orange cake as well:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/415619
that I posted on another chow thread!

[roxlet]

My father used to make and was partial to a cake he called a Brown ring. I'm sure I have the recipe somewhere, but as I recall, soaking raisins in hot water was what made the cake brown. Other than that, it was an extremely plain cake. What I would call an every day cake.

[Ruthie789]

A good jelly roll or any rolled cake, always so delicious and definitely vintage. Presentation of all of these cakes mentionned in this thread, on a cake plate =spectacular.

[travelerjjm]

I love jelly rolls (sometimes called Swiss rolls). They are quite popular in China, including Hong Kong. We often had them at tea breaks. They were very light and served with a cream filling.

[Sal Vanilla]

I am glad you mention this. I thought it was very odd that the new chinese bakery that opened in my town had a nice variety of jellyrolls to choose from. I thought - what gives? Jellyroll from China? So interesting.

They were good. He gave me so many samples I left feeling stuffed. Mocha was my fave.

[travelerjjm]

I love the Mocha ones. The belief is that the British introduced them to Hong Kong and then they migrated (possibly on a limited basis, dunno) to the rest of China. Cakes and jelly rolls are particularly popular in Hong Kong. Most major subway stops have cake shops.

[Violatp]

Oh, I love Chinese cakes! The light sponge, the cream, the fruit...Just sweet enough. Yum!

[juliejulez]

My grandmother made a delicious spice cake, with raisins in it and a sugar glaze on top. The original recipe calls for using bacon fat. I should get the recipe from my mom and try it out sometime, it was my brother's preferred birthday cake growing up.

[Ruthie789]

My 86 year old Dad loves a dark spice cake but I do not have a good recipe for it.

[sandylc]

Could that be good old-fashioned molasses cake/gingerbread?

[Ruthie789]

Yes if it had raisins and some kind of heavy white icing,

[juliejulez]

I'll bug my mom to get my grandmother's. Knowing my mom though, it'll take her a month to type it up and send it to me :)

[Ruthie789]

Thank you that is very thoughtful of you.

[juliejulez]

OK I finally got it. True to form, my mom never sent it, she kept forgetting, but I got it from my aunt when I visited her this weekend :) We call it "Grandma's Spice Cake"

2 tbl cocoa
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup bacon grease (my mom usually used margarine or butter, but that yields a much lighter (as in fluffier) cake)
2 cups flour
1 cup sour or buttermilk
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda in 1 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins and nuts (each, and optional)

Cream margarine (grease) and sugar. Blend in dry ingredients alternately with milk and soda mixture. Add raisins and nuts. Bake in a 13x9 pan at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.

My grandmother would often top this with a simple powdered sugar glaze, and I recall one year for a birthday she did it in 2 round pans and did a layer cake with it, don't remember what frosting she used for that though.

[Indy 67]

Here's my recipe for Spice Cake. The recipe is at least 40 years old.

1 3/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 cup raisins, simmer, drained, and cooled (optional)
1/2 cup chopped nut meats (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9" X 5" X 3" loaf pan.

Sift together the flour, salt, soda, and spices. Set aside.

Allow th butter to come to room temperature. Cream the butter, adding the sugar gradually. Blend well.

Add the eggs and combine.

Sitr in the sifted dry ingredients alternating with the sour cream. Add the raisins and, if desired, nuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 45-50 minutes.

Note: If I used raisins, I didn't simmer them. Instead, I soaked the raisins in liqueur keyed to the type of nuts being used (e.g. Frangelica if using hazelnuts) Other times, I omitted the raisins entirely and doubled the amount of nuts in the recipe.

[Ruthie789]

It must be a very tender and moist cake with the addition of sour cream. I have all the ingredients to make the cake and if I am able to I will make it for him tomorrow morning. Thank you, very kind of you.

[maxie]

Two cakes you don't see around much: Boston Cream Pie and Lady Baltimore.

[MrsBridges]

Boston Cream Pie is three desserts in one--yellow batter cake, custard, and fudge. What's not to love?

I'm glad a few bakeries near me still sell it. DH bought one for my birthday last year. It's funny how just one "sliver" of cake after another can gradually reduce a cake to nothingness.

[sandylc]

I remember our family visiting some friends when I was a child, and we went into the house through the kitchen, walking past the stove to the family room.

Comparing notes later, we all thought that there was a pan of garbage sitting on the stovetop. We were all surprised when they served us the (delicious) "garbage"!

It was an oatmeal cake with a nutty broiled frosting and it was very good - but when we asked for the recipe, we took it home and wrote "Garbage Cake" on the top of the card!

[Ruthie789]

After seeing the threads I was reminded of a cookbook I purchased some time ago called the Ministry of Food. It has recipes some of them cake from the World War 2 time. My Mom used to make a pudding or cake of sorts and boil it in a dishtowel this thread also reminded me of that. I will go through the recipes in the book and note them, think they qualify as vintage....

[Ruthie789]

I just went through The Ministry of Food, cakes mentionned, Fat Free Sponge Cake, The Ok Corral Birthday Cake, Princess Birthday Cake,Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Carrot Cake, Chocolate and Beetroot Brownies, Wedding Cake. Rations were limited and sources of fat including butter during World War 2,were scarce. The book has a mention of the fat being scraped off tins of ham and meats and used to make pastry. Can`t fathom myself doing this. Is it possible that vegetables like zucchini and beets in cakes helped to stretch the recipe and provide moisture and originated from hard times?

[iluvcookies]

Well it certainly wouldn't surprise me if they originated from hard times. During the depression and times of rationing, cooks had to make do with what was available.
If your family had a bumper crop of zucchini from the Victory Garden, well, you'd better find creative ways to use it all up. Our grandparents were pretty smart that way :)

[travelerjjm]

My father's favorite birthday cake was crazy cake with seven minute icing. I haven't seen either in a looooong time. (Oh, and the crazy cake was the very dark chocolate kind, not the "crazy cake" with vinegar and other things poured down holes in the cake.)

[LJS]

Boiled Cake (aka War Cake)
Source: my Newfoundland United Church fund-raising cookbook, with my own notes

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 cup nuts (kind is unspecified but I recall walnuts)
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup currants
1 1/2 cups chopped, seedless dates
1 1/2 cups mixed fruit: chopped citrus peel, candied pineapple etc

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

Bring all ingredients EXCEPT flour and baking soda to a boil inj a large pot on top of stove.Cook for 5 full minutes.

Allow this mixture to cool thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Add flour and baking soda to cooled fruit mixture, stirring well.

Place in a greased, 10" tube pan. Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, checking after first time, using clean straw method.

(I recall this cake being a huge draw at church auction nights, especially when made by one of the lady's in the congregation who I suspect added a little 'nip' of her own.)

[Sal Vanilla]

Yep. That's the one!

[buttertart]

My Great-Aunt Nellie (London, ON born and bred) used to make that, and called it "War Cake".

[Sal Vanilla]

I think of coconut covered cakes when I think of cakes from childhood. Maybe because I dreamed of having one, but never got one.

I still do upside down cakes and an occasional red velvet (which seems to be enjoying a resurgence). My MIL loves war cake - which is essentially means it lacks all the things that were rationed during the war - so milk, eggs butter... but it has sugar - which was rationed. Hmmm. Maybe it is more commonly known as depression cake. Yep. I think so.

I don't think I have had a seed cake. Like poppyseed with lemon? I have eaten plenty of those buggers. Overly plenty.

[Island]

Yes coconut cake! Love it and want it for my B-Day every year, but it's tough to find a good one from a bakery.

Hummingbird cake is another I think of as vintage.

[Sal Vanilla]

I love hummingbird cake. Just had to get that out there.

[Ruthie789]

In Montreal there used to be a chain of Woolworth's stores and each one of them had a vintage styled restaurant counter with spinning stools and a bakery counter, that memory is forever in my mind. My mom used to purchase a cake with a brown sugar and coconut icing and it was delicious, I think it was a German chocolate cake. I hope you get a good response, I would love to see some vintage cake recipes. A slice of cake and a percolated coffee from my vintage pyrex coffee pot might be in order this weekend.

[Sal Vanilla]

I miss Woolworth. I used to go get a giant double scoop cone for like a quarter.

German chocolate cake is a fine example of a vintage cake.

Do you have your little metal thing for the stove to protect your pyrex pot??

[Ruthie789]

No but I have it on a gas range with a small flame.

[Sal Vanilla]

: ) Lovely.

[Ruthie789]

I miss Woolworth`s too. It was timeless and classic and my favorite teenage hangout.

[LJS]

I had two Woolworth's in my growing up-one in Oakville, ON (Hopedale Plaza) and they had that same cake that Ruthie is talking about-there was a frozen Sara Lee version that was similar). But my favourite Woolworth's was on Water Street in St. John's, NL...and there the big deal was a Boiled Raisin Cake...which, I believe is also known as a War Cake.

I knew this NL Woolworth's very well as I worked there as my after-school job-proudly wore the blue smock and worked in the Bridal Department (I kid you not!)

I have a recipe that I will dig out and submit to this thread as soon as the dogs get off my lap!

[sandylc]

Anyone who loves dogs is going to have some great recipes...

[Ruthie789]

I agree.

[Ruthie789]

My Mom used to make the boiled raison cake on special occasions. Her Mom was from Tourbay so we had many a Newfoundland meal of sorts.

[LJS]

Ruthie: I grew up just down the road from Torbay-that cake recipe is a real Newfie treasure-I now live in Nova Scotia and they do a version here, but (as you will understand!)-it is not quite the same.

[Ruthie789]

I propose that a future thread on Newfoundland recipes is in order!

[LJS]

Ruthie: Me buddy,me auld lass, you got yerself some fine notion there... We could have ourselves a good-old fashion Newfie Mug-Up CH style!

[Ruthie789]

I am game but as you are the Newfoundler I give you the honour of starting this thread!

[buttertart]

Put your money where your mouths are, you two! I don't see a Nfld thread.

[pine time]

Sometimes the Woolworth's in our area had a "prize" gimmick: they'd blow up balloons, add a slip of paper with numbers on it, and hang them along the cafeteria wall. You'd pick any balloon, then pay the price listed on the slip instead of the menu price. Woohoo--cake for 15 cents! We thought it was great fun when we were kids.

[sandylc]

German Chocolate. That's a great one that you don't see very often anymore.

One thing comes to mind at this point - generally if a recipe is pretty old I cut back on the sugar considerably, maybe 25-30%. I hate to mess with the classics, but to me they really are generally too sweet.

What does everyone think about this? Is it O.K. to update recipes in this way?

[Ruthie789]

I agree but am always hesitant to alter any recipe.I think reducing the sugar is fine but not the fat. In the old days the milk used was the 3.25% fat and I am going back to this for my baking as am finding some of my baked goods dry.

[sandylc]

I agree! Full fat all the way...!!!

[emily]

I have a copy of Jim Fobel's Old Fashioned Baking Book. He uses his grandmother's recipes for old fashioned baked goods from the '30s and writes that he needed to cut the sugar from a lot of the cakes for contemporary tastes.

[jen kalb]

great book, by the way

[LJS]

I am a recipe meddler- when it comes to sugar, I think modern tastes (and better understanding of nutrition) mean less is more. In baking, despite a need for recipe balance when it comes to fat/flour/liquid ratios, I find that you can cut back on sugar without negatively impacting flavour.

[MidwesternerTT]

Here's our family's recipe for that

German Chocolate Cake Frosting
(Coconut Pecan frosting)

Enough for 2-3 cake layer tops

1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
½ cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Cook and stir sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolks, butter and vanilla over medium heat until thick (about 12 minutes).

Remove from heat and add coconut & pecans.

Cool until spreadable, beat occasionally.

[Ruthie789]

That looks like a keeper, thank you for posting!

[LJS]

Thank you for that-I think that may be my next cake adventure!