Eggless Cakes in 1920

Melbourne Argus, Melbourne, Victoria, AU May 26, 1920, page 5

“J.M.R.” (Yarram) sends a recipe for eggless spice cake: ––

• 1 cupful of sugar
• half-cupful butter
• 1 cupful of sour milk
• 2 cupfuls flour
• 1 teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda
• a little grated nutmeg
• half-teaspoonful ground cloves
• 1 teaspoonful of ground cinnamon
• 1 cupful of raisins

Cream the butter and sugar, sift the flour with the spices and soda, flour the raisins slightly. Add the sour milk, flour, and raisins by degrees to the butter and sugar, mixing it very slowly. Bake in a deep tin. A cupful of nut-meat makes this cake even more appetising.”

“Economy” (Glenhuntly) sends a recipe for eggless fruit cake: ––

• 1 lb plain flour
• 1 lb dripping (clarified two or three times)
• 1 lb sugar
• 1 lb currants
• 1 lb raisins
• 1 lb candied peel
• half-pint milk
• 1 level teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda

Put flour into basin with sugar and fruit and sliced peel. Beat the dripping to a cream, and mix it with the milk, save for two tablespoonfuls. Stir the soda into them two tablespoonfuls of milk, add the dough, and heat the whole well until everything is mixed. Put the dough into a well-greased tin, and cook for one and a half to two hours.