Chocolate Depression Cake

Chocolate Depression Cake

Depression cake is a type of cake that was commonly made during the Great Depression. The ingredients include little or no milk, sugar, butter or eggs, because the ingredients were then either expensive or hard to obtain. Similar cakes are known as "War Cake," as they avoided ingredients that were scarce or were being conserved for the use of soldiers. This cake has no eggs in it.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/3 Cup vegetable oil
1 Cup water

Frosting:
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine vanilla, vinegar, oil and water. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until completely combined.
Pour batter into a greased 8x8 square pan.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cake cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
Melt butter in a small saucepan (or in the microwave using a microwave safe dish.) Stir in cocoa powder, mixture will form a thick paste. With mixer on low speed, add in powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.
Once ingredients are incorporated, turn mixer to medium high speed and beat about 5 minutes, until frosting is smooth and creamy. Spread on top of cooled cake.

Recipe for the long lost Davey Crockett Bars

Davy Crockett Bars

Known as a school cafeteria favorite of days gone by. These bars are dense, use more eggs than most recipes, and have chocolate chips, and oatmeal.

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cup flour sifted with 1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cup oats
1 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 cup nuts

Directions:
Mix together ingredients, the dough will be very stiff. It has to be pushed or patted into an ungreased pan.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes in 350 a degree oven. Do not over bake or it will be hard and dry. TRemove from oven when it is still puffed in the middle. Cut into bars or squares while warm, and watch for the look of delight from your unsuspecting guest!

Anytime I have made these, everyone who has tried them has absolutely loved them. I don't remember this treat being made at any school I went to, so those children who did have them were a very lucky bunch.

Valentines Day: Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake Recipe

Nothing say's valentines Day like chocolate, at least for me, and nothing is baked as well as grandma use to do it. So for your happiest of days why not try this vintage old fashioned Chocolate cake recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
*CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe below)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin, it's o.k.). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Frosting.
2 LAYER CAKE: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round baking pans. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup Cocoa Powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.
I hope you enjoy this made from scratch chocolate cake as much as I did. Personally I think you will love it!

Easy Old Fashioned Apple Bread

Don't like bananas... don't fear, there is a bread for you too!

Old Fashioned Apple Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups chopped Apples

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.
Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended.
Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick
inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

The name is first found in print in 1703, spelled moofin, it is of uncertain origin but possibly derived from the Low German Muffen, the plural of Muffe meaning a small cake, or possibly with some connection to the Old French moufflet meaning soft as said of bread.
The type of English muffin sold today was popularized in the late 1800s by English-American baker Samuel Beth Thomas (whose baked-goods company Thomas' survives to this day).

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Whisk to combine and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold to combine. The batter will be thick.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.