No Butter, Eggs, Or Milk Are Used In This WWII Cake
NEWS
By SONORA SLATER
New recipes emerged during World Wars as people combined cheap ingredients in new ways to fight food rationing. One such recipe is the eggless, butterless, milkless Ration Cake.
The common swaps for the cake include baking soda and vinegar in place of eggs, water in place of milk, and margarine, lard, or even just leftover bacon grease in place of butter.
Honey, dried fruits, brown sugar, or molasses were often used instead of white cane sugar, which was scarce due to trade disruptions, resource diversion, and fewer farmers.
Added oil helped the cake stick together, and the baking soda vinegar combo's famed chemical reaction helped add the springy, airy texture usually brought on by eggs.
Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves were added luxuries for a warm, gingersnap-esque flavor, especially prominent when paired with molasses.
