Times were tough during the Great Depression, foods were rationed, scarce or just unable to get. Families did what they had to do to survive. This recipe calls for just one egg – when eggs were hard to come by.
Preheat oven to moderate temperature (350* F. by today's standards) Grease 8 or 9-inch square baking pan; set aside.
In large bowl, combine and sift:
2 cups sifted cake flour**
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder**
1 teaspoon salt
Add:
1/3 cup soft lard (substitute shortening)
Splash of vanilla (1 teaspoon)
2/3 cup sweet milk (whole milk)
Beat well (in those days it was by hand most of the time – anyone remember the old Betty Crocker recipes – beat 300 strokes?)
Add:
Additional 1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
Continue to beat until smooth.
Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 30 – 35 minutes or until cake tests done.
In small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind and 1 cup confectioners'** sugar. Place over low heat, stirring until smooth.
When cake is done baking, poke holes in cake and pour warm glaze over top.
Cool to serve.
**You can make it homemade and save money.
Zabar's Black and White Cookies - not only are these a hit with everyone - but when frosting you can be quite creative with the 2 different frostings! For holidays tint the frosting colors to match and kids absolutely love to create with these as well.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Cookies:
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp lemon extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Frosting:
4 c confectioners' sugar
1/3 to 1/2 c boiling water
1 oz bittersweet chocolate
Preheat the oven to 375. Butter two baking sheets and set aside.
To make the cookies:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and butter. Mix with mixer or hand until fluffy. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and lemon extracts and mix until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, and salt and stir until mixed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches, stirring well to combine. Using a soup spoon or ice cream scoop, drop spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the edges begin to brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
Place the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Gradually add enough of the boiling water to the sugar, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and spreadable. Remove half of the frosting to the top half of a double boiler set over simmering water and add the chocolate. Warm the mixture, stirring, until the chocolate is melted and the frosting is smooth. Remove from the heat. With a brush, coat half the cookie with chocolate frosting and the other half with white frosting.
