Wartime Boiled Raisin Cake
November 11th. is a very special day in which we honour and pay tribute to all of the men and women that have selflessly served and sacrificed so much for our freedom. We remember the fallen soldiers for their bravery and also their families for the hardships they had to endure in the aftermath of such tragedy and loss.
Today, I thought I would share a recipe that many boys on the front lines would receive from loved ones back home. This "Wartime" Boiled Raisin cake was a favourite during this time of rationing as it does not contain dairy or eggs and would keep quite well as it made the trip overseas to the delight of many soldiers anxiously awaiting letters and gifts from home. Although sugar was high on the rations list, this cake does contain sugar but was most likely made with honey or molasses back then.
To make this cake, you will need all purpose flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking powder, baking soda, water, shortening and raisins.
First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees, then in a medium saucepan, add 3,1/2 cups of water...
...2 cups of granulated sugar,
...4 cups of raisins ( I used "Sultana" raisins)...
...and a 1/4 cup of vegetable shortening. Set saucepan over medium/high heat...
...and let mixture come to a boil. At this point, turn heat down, cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the raisin mixture is simmering, prepare your dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, combine 3, 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 tsp.'s of baking soda,1 tsp. of baking powder, a 1/2 tsp. of salt, 2 tsp.'s of cinnamon, 1 tsp. of nutmeg and a 1/2 tsp. of cloves...
Stir with a fork to incorporate ingredients and set aside.
Once the raisin mixture is done simmering, remove from heat and let cool slightly...then, pour mixture into a large mixing bowl...
...and add flour mixture all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon...
...stir until all of the flour is mixed in...your batter will be somewhat lumpy.
Pour batter into a greased 10 or 12 cup bundt pan (mine is non-stick, so it didn't require greasing)...
...and bake in your preheated oven for about 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool before slicing.
When the cake is cool, slice into wedges and serve...this cake is excellent to take on hunting trips or hikes as it only gets better with age due to the lack of dairy and eggs in the ingredients. A moist, fruity cake that makes a quick lunch with a wedge of cheese or with a nice spot of tea or coffee...enjoy!
Wartime Boiled Raisin Cake
4 cups of raisins
3, 1/2 cups of water
2 cups of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of vegetable shortening
1. Combine the above ingredients into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium/high heat. Once mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 10 minutes...set aside to cool slightly.
3, 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2 tsp.'s of baking soda
1 tsp. of baking powder
1/2 tsp. of salt
2 tsp.'s of cinnamon
1 tsp. of nutmeg
1/2 tsp. of cloves
2. Sift dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
3. Once the raisin mixture has cooled somewhat, pour it into a large bowl then add the flour mixture.
4. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is is incorporated and pour into a prepared bundt pan.
5. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
"The Green Fields of France"
Oh how do you do, young Willy McBride
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside
And rest for a while in the warm summer sun
I've been walking all day and I'm nearly done
And I see by your gravestone you were only nineteen
When you joined the great fallen of 1916
Well I hope you died quick
And I hope you died clean
Or Willy McBride, was it slow and obscene
Did they beat the drums slowly
Did they play the fife lowly
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
Did they play the last post and chorus
Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest
And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind
In some loyal heart is your memory enshrined
And though you died back in 1916
To that loyal heart you're forever nineteen
Or are you a stranger without even a name
Forever enshrined behind some old glass pane
In an old photograph torn, tattered, and stained
And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame
Did they beat the drums slowly
Did they play the fife lowly
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
Did they play the last post and chorus
Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest
The sun shining down on these green fields of France
The warm wind blows gently and the red poppies dance
The trenches have vanished long under the plow
No gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now
But here in this graveyard that's still no man's land
The countless white crosses in mute witness stand
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man
And a whole generation were butchered and damned
Did they beat the drums slowly
Did they play the fife lowly
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
Did they play the last post and chorus
Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest
And I can't help but wonder oh Willy McBride
Do all those who lie here know why they died
Did you really believe them when they told you the cause
Did you really believe that this war would end wars
Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame
The killing the dying it was all done in vain
Oh Willy McBride it all happened again
And again, and again, and again and again
Did they beat the drums slowly
Did they play the fife lowly
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
Did they play the last post and chorus
Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest
Song written by Eric Bogle