Poor Man's Cake
An old-fashioned dessert that was especially popular in the 1930s, Poor Man’s Cake is sometimes known as Depression Cake. Try it with a cream cheese frosting, such as the one we use on our Best Ever Carrot Cake.
Sam Jones/Quinn Brein
Photo Credit:
Sam Jones/Quinn Brein
Ingredients
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 package (15 ounces) raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water
cream cheese frosting (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a pan, combine brown sugar, hot water, salt, shortening, raisins, and spices. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
In a bowl, combine flour and dissolved baking soda, add to the batter, and mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan. Frost, if desired.
Yield:
12 to 15 servings
Category
Course
Credit:
Ruth Gagen Brentwood Historical Society, Brentwood, New Hamp
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Reader Comments
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Poor Man's Cake
Finally made this, it is delicious, reminds me of the Spice Cake bar that was sold in A & P a LONG time ago. Had to bake it 43 minutes, batter was soupy in the middle after 30 minutes. Will make again.
Poor mans cake
Looks really good but I do not like raisins could I use craisins instead
Poor Man's Cake Ingredient Substitution
Could butter be used in place of the shortening? Thanks in advance.
poor man's cake recipe
Yes, you can sub butter. Enjoy!
Poor man's cake gluten-free ?
Do I dare try and make this with a gluten-free flour blend ?
gluten free flour in cake
We have not made the recipe with gluten free flour so we can’t say if it will yield the same results. You can experiment and see how you like it. Good luck!
Poor Mans Cake.
The recipe looks like what I remember except for hot water I am going to try hot coffee. Thanks
Poor Man's Cake
I used to make this cake for my father in law using his mother's recipe. The only difference was that she added black walnuts from the tree in their yard. Of course, the cake became more expensive after the depression with the raisins and nuts. If we did not have the black walnuts we also used pecans which I preferred, but no the rest of the family!
Depression Cake
I think this is what my mother-in-law used to call "War Cake" since it didn't have eggs or white sugar, which were in short supply due to the war
My mom made this cake special
My mom made this cake special for me ...she came through the depression and I know it was everything for them to have this specialty in tough times..thank you
GRANDMA'S APPLESAUCE CAKE:
GRANDMA'S APPLESAUCE CAKE:
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups applesauce
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup boiling water
Confectioners' sugar, optional
DIRECTIONS
Place raisins and hot water in a small bowl; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients except last three. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water; add to batter. Mix well. Drain softened raisins and fold into batter. Pour into a greased and floured 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan.
Bake at 300° for 40 minutes. If desired, dust top with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or cold. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 12-16 servings.
Does anybody have the recipe
Does anybody have the recipe for the applesauce cake that grandma used to make
Grandma's Applesauce Cake
My grandmother was born in 1894, and this is the applesauce cake recipe she used. Thankfully, it was one of the few recipes she wrote down, so we still have it.....and use it.
GRANDMA'S APPLESAUCE CAKE
2 C SUGAR
½ C SHORTENING
2 ½ C FLOUR
2 EGGS
1 ½ C APPLESAUCE
1 C RAISINS
1 C BLACK WALNUTS
½ TSP CINNAMON
½ TSP ALLSPICE
½ TSP CLOVES
2 TSP SODA
½ TSP SALT
½ C HOT WATER
CREAM SHORTENING.
ADD SUGAR GRADUALLY; THEN WELL-BEATEN EGGS.
ADD APPLESAUCE.
SIFT FLOUR WITH SPICES AND SALT.
MIX THE SODA WITH THE HOT WATER.
ADD THE FLOUR MIXTUE ALTERNATELY WITH THE WATER.
THEN ADD THE RAISINS AND NUTS WHICH HAVE BEEN FLOURED.
MIX WELL
BAKE IN A GREASED AND FLOURED STEM CAKE PAN AT 350° FOR 1 HOUR.