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Recipes in Government Documents: Cakes

Thoughts on these recipes

I have kept the original spelling and verbiage that were in the document when retyping the recipes.  The date of the document is presented directly under the recipe title.  When available, links to the full documents (which often contain more recipes) are provided at the bottom of each recipe.  Enjoy!

Recipes on this page (and year):

Strawberry Shortcake (1920)
Plain Cake (1937)
Cranberry  Upside-Down Cake (1959)

1920s

Strawberry Shortcake
1920
(Serves five)

2 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons shortening (preferably butter or butter substitute)
About 2/3 cup milk or 1 or 2 tablespoons less of water

 

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Cut in the shortening and mix lightly with milk or water until like biscuit dough.  Divide into two equal portions and roll each into a sheet about 1/2 inch thick.  Bake in shallow pan, one sheet upon the other, after spreading the lower lightly with butter.  Or, cut the dough, after rolling, into rounds as for biscuit, placing two rounds upon each other separated by a thin layer of butter.

After baking in a rather hot oven about 15 minutes, separate the two layers.  Spread each with butter and well-sweetened berries.  Serve with whipped cream.

Other fruits, such as fresh red raspberries, dewberries, sliced peaches, oranges, stewed dried fruits, or stewed rhubarb, are excellent for shortcake.

To see the entire publication (and more recipes), use this link and scroll to publication # 1136:  Baking in the Home

                                              

1930s

Plain Cake
1937
 


3 cups sifted soft wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup fat, melted
1/2 to 1 teaspoon flavoring

Sift the dry ingredients together.  Combine the beaten egg, milk, melted fat, and flavoring.  Add the dry ingredients all at once, stir until the mixture is smooth.   Pour into a greased pan, and for a thin loaf, bake in a moderate oven (365° F. ) for 25 minutes.  As cupcakes, bake in a moderately hot oven (375°) for 20 minutes.

 

To see the entire publication (and more recipes), use this link: Homemade Bread Cake and Pastry

 

 

                                              

1950s

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
1959
(6 servings)

Cranberry Mixture
1 1/2 cups finely ground cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice

Combine the ingredients.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.  Pour into a greased baking pan.

Cake Mixture
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup hot milk

Sift flour and baking powder together three times.

Beat eggs until very thick and light.  Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended.  Add lemon juice.

Fold in the flour-baking powder mixture gradually.

Add milk and mix quickly until the batter is smooth.

Pour batter over cranberry mixture.

Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) about 30 minutes.

To see the entire publication (and more recipes), use this link: Food: The Yearbook of Agriculture 1959

                                              

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