Victory Tea - Party War Cake

One of the goodies we will be making for the 1940s Experiment Victory Tea - Party is War Cake.

This recipe was published in the New Zealand Woman's Weekly in 1941.

It is very moist and will keep well, great to send to soldiers.

War Cake

Boil together for 3 minutes the following ingredients:

1 breakfast cup brown sugar

1 breakfast cup currants or nuts

1 breakfast cup cold water

2 breakfast cups sultanas

1 teaspoon mixed spice

pinch of salt

3oz butter.

When the mixture is cold, mix in 

1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a little warm milk

1 teaspoon baking powder (or 2 teaspoons of cream tartar)

2 breakfast cups plain flour.

Cook in a moderate oven for two hours.

The fruit cakes would be made by women to send off to their loved ones giving them a taste of home.  They would be put into a tin then soldered shut and sewn in calico to be sent off to the soldiers with other items.  Another popular item, believe it or not, was Andrew's Liver Salts which were used by the soldiers to make scones in place of baking powder.