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.

Old Fashioned Valentine's Day Brownies you'll LOVE

Old Fashioned Valentine's Day Brownies
These are incredibly good! Rich and chocolatey!!!

Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine
1⁄4 cup cocoa
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3⁄4 cup flour
1⁄2 cup walnuts (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F
Melt butter in microwave.
Add the cocoa and stir.
In medium bowl beat eggs until frothy.
Add sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla (also nuts if you are using them).
Pour cocoa mixture over egg mixture and stir all together.
Put into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Preferably a heart shaped one. Bake for 30 minutes.

Old Fashioned Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
1 cup butter (room temperature
3 cups sugar (confectioners')
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, combine the butter with confectioners' sugar. Beat on low speed until sugar is moistened, then beat on medium to high speed for about 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream and beat until smooth. Beat in more milk or cream, as needed for spreading consistency. Add a few drops of red food coloring as well, to set the mood!

My Own Sweet Valentine

Like the sweetly budding rose,
Freshened by the gentle rain
Like the Evening Star that glows,
Brightest of the starry train

Like a well arranged Bouquet,
Where the fairest flowers combine,
Odours rich and colours gay,
Is my own Sweet Valentine

Old Style Texas Tornado Cake

Texas Tornado Cake

It may go by many names, but this wonderful cake with it's coconut and walnut frosting is moist, delicious, and very easy to make!
Texas tornado cake contains fruit and nuts, with coconut icing. It’s not clear when this cake was invented, or where it’s from. Some insist that “Texas tornado cake” is another name for an “earthquake cake.”

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs 3 cups fruit cocktail with liquid
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
Frosting:
1 Stick butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk 1 cup flaked coconut

Directions:
Cream together sugar, eggs, fruit cocktail, baking soda and flour. Pour into lightly greased and floured 13x9x2-inch cake pan. Mix brown sugar and nuts together and sprinkle onto unbaked batter in the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. While still hot, poke holes into the cake to allow the frosting to seep inside. Ice cake while hot.
Frosting Directions:
Boil margarine, sugar and milk 2 minutes. Stir in coconut. Spoon over cake as soon as cake is taken from the oven. I am sure you will be enjoying this delicious cake just as much as I, and others did!

Non Alcoholic Irish Cream Coffee Cookies

Irish Cream Coffee Cookies

This is a wonderful non alcoholic recipe for those who wish to participate in the Irish Holiday, but do not partake in the spirits of the day. Even the traditional drinkers will love them!

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp salt
3 Tablespoons Nestle French Vanilla Coffee Mate Creamer (liquid)
2 Tablespoons instant coffee powder.
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
2 Eggs
3 Cups of flour
1 Bag of Nestle White Chocolate Chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together the butter, sugars and salt. Add the eggs and blend until smooth. Mix in the coffee powder, French Vanilla Creamer, Vanilla and Almond Extracts. Slowly add in the flour, and finally the White Chocolate Chips
Scoop dollops about a teaspoon in size, and arrange on baking sheets with ample room for spreading.
Bake for 9-10 minutes, then move to cooling racks.

A 1922 Recipe for Peanut Butter Bread

Vintage Peanut Butter Bread Recipe

This is a Royal Baking Powder recipe from 1922, and it is delicious. The Royal Baking Powder Company was one of the largest producers of baking powder in the US. The company was started by Joseph Christoffel Hoagland and William Ziegler in 1866.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl add milk to peanut butter; stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, and blend well. Pour into a greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan.
Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

You can enjoy it all by itself, or with butter, or jelly. Anyway you choose, you are guaranteed to love it.