This war cake recipe, first published over 100 years ago, has proven to be very popular with our readers, and the users on our website.

It’s just one of the gems we’ve uncovered in our Archives over the years.

In fact, there were so many recipes in there that we managed to compile them into the fantastic “150 Years Of Christmas Cookery” book!

Do you have your copy yet? It’s on sale now from the DC Thomson Shop!

A rare treat is this war cake from the DC Thomson archives

This recipe dates from an issue of “The People’s Friend”, January 7, 1918.

We should let that sink in — this means this recipe is 100 years old.

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients apart from the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in a saucepan with 300 ml ( pt) water and boil together for 3 minutes. Put aside to get cold.
2. Pre-heat oven to 180 deg. C., 350 deg. F., Gas Mark 5 and grease and line a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin.
3. Add the bicarbonate of soda and baking powder to the flour and mix together. Sieve into the cold mixture and stir well.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hours or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

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