Sponge Cake

Here's another recipe that grandma placed a big "X" next to signify that she liked and used it.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla or lemon extract
1/8 cup cold water

Boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread and add slowly to beaten egg whites, beating until mixture is cold; sift together three times, flour, salt and baking powder; beat egg yolks until thick; add a little at a time, flour mixture and egg yolks, alternately to white of egg mixture; add cold water and flavoring; mix lightly. Bake in ungreased tin in moderate oven about one hour.

Marble Cake

I was flipping the pages of a small cookbook that had fallen apart and was obviously used greatly by grandma over the years when I happened across this recipe which she had circled and put and star next to.

White Cake
3 Tbsp. shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
white of 1 egg

Cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add flavoring and milk. Beat well and add flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Mix in beaten egg white.

Dark Part
3 Tbsp. shortening
1/2 cup sugar
yolk of 1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. cocoa

Cream shortening, add sugar slowly; add egg yolk and mix well. Mix in milk; add flour, baking powder, salt, spices and cocoa which have been sifted together. Put this batter by spoonfulsand same amount of white batter alternately into greased loaf pan but do not mix. Bake in moderate oven about 45 minutes. Cover with white icing.

Pound Cake

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar very slowly, beating well. Add flavoring and yolks of eggs which have been beaten until pale yellow. Beat egg whites until light and add alternately a little at a time with the flour which has been sifted with baking powder four times. Beat well for several minutes until light and fluffy. Bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven about one hour.

Apple Fritters

Plain Fritter Batter

1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients together; add beaten egg and milk; beat until smooth.

Apple Fritters
4 large apples
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Peel and core apples and cut into slices. add sugar and lemon juice. Dip each slice into plain fritter batter. Fry light brown in deep fat. Drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Fruits other than apples may be used in fritter by following the directions for apple fritters. Canned whole fruits drained from syrup may also be used. Chop fruit (not too fine) and stir into plain fritter batter. Drop by spoonfuls into deep hot fat, turning until brown. Drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

French Pancakes

I was looking through an old Royal Baking Powder recipe book that although I couldn't find a date is probably from the early 1900's. As someone who makes pancakes frequently I was intrigued by the title of French Pancakes. Upon reading, it is what we today call crepes.

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
jam
powdered sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs which have been beated with the sugar, milk, and cream. Beat until smooth. Heat small frying pan in which a little butter has been melted. Pour in just sufficient batter to cover bottom of pan. Cook over hot fire. Turn and brown other side. Spread with jam and roll up. Sprinkle with posdered sugar and serve hot.

Peanut Brittle

Grandma loved a good peanut brittle. That and old fashioned ribbon candy were two staples at Christmas time.

2 cups chopped roasted nuts
3 cups granulated sugar

Put sugar in frying pan. Stir over slow fire. It will lump, then gradually melt. When pale coffee color, and clear, add nuts and pour quickly on greased tin. When cold break into pieces.

Economical Soup

I love reading through old recipes. This one reminds me that it wasn't always the case that if you wanted soup for dinner that all you had to do was open a can. Today's recipe comes from a promotional booklet of the 1920's given out by the McNess salesman as he made his rounds selling everything a housewife could need to cook and clean.

This is a brown soup and very tasty. Take 2 good sized onions, peel then and cut them into small pieces, put 2 ounces of good dripping in the stew pan; when melted put in the onions, cover the pan and let them cook for an hour. The steam will prevent them from frying. Then pour in slowly the liquid in which a cauliflower has been boiled. Put in any stale pieces of bread you may have, using crusts as well. Add a little pepper but no salt. Simmer for at least an hour and a half, then put through a fine sieve. If it appears too thin boil longer to reduce it. Then pour into the tureen and add a very little hot milk. Serve very hot.