Retrojunkie's Cookbook

If you're a Vegan, or on a low-fat, low-carb diet, you might as well give this a miss. If you're a vegetarian, but still eat dairy products, you should be aware that some ingredients that seem vegetarian aren't. For instance, mincemeat is often made with beef or suet. If that can of shortening doesn't say it's all-vegetable, it probably isn't. Plenty of shortenings use animal fats. And, of course, lard is animal fat. You probably already know all that, but just in case.

I can't eat food that's too chunky or I become very ill. So where a recipe calls for nuts, I generally substitute nut "butters" which are usually just finely ground nuts. There's pretty much everything, from coconut butter to walnut butter, to almond butter, etc., so if you have the same problem I do, there's a way around it. It may, however, change the consistency of the finished product. I'll try to note that where I um, notice it. You can buy nut butters on the net.

Due to chronic laziness, I'm not going to group these according to type of food. I'm just going to list them alphabetically. If that doesn't work for you, there are probably only a few tens of thousands of sites on the net that have recipes, so I guess you'll have to do without.

Anyway, here's what I've got so far:

"Mile High" Sponge Cake

3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Beat whites of eggs stiff. Add slowly sugar and salt. Beat yolks separately. Add boiling water slowly. Fold two mixtures together, then fold in flour. Bake in ungreased tin in slow oven, 225 degrees, 40 to 50 minutes. Turn pan upside down and let cake cool thus.
Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50's/early 60's, The Vermont Federation of Women's Clubs

2-Egg Sponge Cake

2 eggs
2/3 cup cold water
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat egg yolks and water together until 1 quart is made. Add sugar and beat slowly for 7 minutes. Then add flour and baking powder, sifted together 3 times. Gently fold in egg whites, beaten stiff and add vanilla. Mix very little. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50's/early 60's, The Vermont Federation of Women's Clubs

In Summary

7-Minute Frosting

1 cup sugar
1 egg white
4 tablespoons cold water
1/4 teaspoon vinegar
Pinch of salt

Beat above ingredients with rotary beater until well blended, place over boiling water and beat until it stands in peaks. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Top with 1 square of chocolate melted with 1 teaspoon butter.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Allegretti Chiffon Cake

Heat oven to 325 degrees, slow moderate. Coarsely grate 1 1/2 squares (1 1/2 oz.) chocolate, sweet or unsweetened. In first bowl, sift together:

1 1/8 cups (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sifted cake flour (spoon lightly, don’t pack)
7/8 cup (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Make a well and add:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 unbeaten egg yolks, medium
3/8 cup (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/8 cup (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cold water
Grated rind of 1 orange (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

Beat with spoon until smooth. In large second bowl, put:

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Beat into stiff peaks, stiffer than for meringue. Do not underbeat. Pour egg yolk mixture gradually over beaten egg whites, gently folding with rubber scraper just until blended. Do not stir. Sprinkle with grated chocolate; fold in with a few strokes. Pouor immediately into ungreased loaf pan (5 x 10 X 3 inches). Bake 50-55 minutes at 325 degrees, or until top springs back when lightly touched. turn pan upside down, resting edges on two other pans; let hang free of table. When cold loosen sides with spatuala; turn pan over and hit edge sharply on table to loosen.

Frost with:

Allegretti Icing

Cream 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, or butter; blend in 1 egg yolk. stir in 2 tablespoons cream, 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, beat well. Add more cream if needed. Frost cake. Melt 1 1/2 squares (1 1/2 oz.) chocolate with 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil over hot water; cool slightly. Pour over top, let chocoate trickle down sides.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Anadama Bread

New England legend tells of a farmer who had a wife so lazy that all she ever gave him for dinner was corn meal mush and molasses.

One day the farmer went into the kitchen, took the mush and molasses, mixed it with flour and yeast and put it in the oven. When a passing neighbor asked what he was doing he said that he was baking bread because Anna, damn’er, wouldn’t.

Scald 1/2 cup corn meal in 1 pint boiling water. Add 1/4 lb. shortening, 3/4 cup molasses and 1 tablespoon salt. Cool. Add 1 1/2 yeast cakes dissolved in 1/2 cup lukewarm wate rand about 2 qts. white flour.

Let rise in warm place until double in bulk. Knead and shape into loaves of bread. Bake at least 40 minutes in a moderate oven.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Angel Cup Cakes

1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat milk and butter to scalding. Beat egg whites stiff and add cream of tartar. Sift flour with baking powder and salt.

Add flour to hot milk and beat. Fold in egg whites and flavoring. Pour in paper baking cups. Bake in a moderate oven 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Angel Food Cake

1 cup egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until stiff. Fold in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and beat gently 10 seconds. Fold in flour 2 tablespoons at a time and beat gently 15 seconds. Add vanilla and beat gently 60 seconds.

Bake 280 degrees for 30 minutes and at 300 degrees for 45 minutes more.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

An Inexpensive Spice Cake

1 egg, 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed, 1/2 cup unmelted vegetable shortening. Put in large bowl and mix all together until smooth.

Add 1 cup of sour milk. 2 cups of sifted flour. Add gradually and in the last lot add 1 teaspoon of soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, salt and a little nutmeg. Also add, if desired, 1 cucp raisins and walnuts chopped and mixed.

Bake in moderate oven until done. Cover with white frosting. This can be used for cupcakes or squares.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Applesauce Cake

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening, creamed together

1 egg
Salt
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apple sauce
1 cup raisins and 1/2 cup nut meats

Bake nearly 1 hour in a medium oven.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Apple Sauce Cake

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or other shortening
1 1/2 cups sweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoons cocoa
Tiny pinch salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
2 cups flour
2 cups flour
Raisins and nuts

Bake in a moderate oven.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Apple Sauce Cake

1 cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup seeded raisins
1/2 cup butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg

Cream butter and add sugar. Mix soda in apple sauce and add to butter and sugar. Mix and sift flour and spices, reserving a little flour to mix with raisins, and add to first mixture. Add raisins last. Bake in moderate oven.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Apple Sauce Cake

1 3/4 cups pastry flour. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, a little mace and nutmeg. Add 1 cup seeded raisins cut in 3 or 4 pieces and rolled in flour.

Cream 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup shortening. Measure 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce. Put in bowl and add 1 teaspoon soda dissolved in hot water. Beat until foams. Mix all and bake 45 minutes.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Apple Sauce Cake

1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks, not beaten
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup walnut meats

Mix dry ingredients, then add remaining. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Apricot Bread

3/4 cup dried chopped apricots
1 egg
3/4 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 teaspoon soda

Pour boiling water over apricots. Add butter and sugar and let it cool. Add beaten egg, flour, soda and salt. Pour into a bread tin. Bake 3/4 hour at 350 degrees.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Apricot-Orange Nut Bread

1/2 cup dried apricots
1 large orange
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour
Boiling water
1/2 cup nuts

Soak apricots 1/2 hour. Squeeze orange juice in cup and fill cup with boiling water. Put apricots, orange rind and raisins through food-chopper. Add orange juice and water. Stir in soda, sugar, butter and vanilla. Add egg and dry ingredients and nuts. Bake 50 minutes in medium oven.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Aunt Abbie’s Cake

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sour milk
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup raisins and currants
1 teaspoon each nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves
2 scant cups flour

Bake in medium oven.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Aunt Cora’s Cherry Cake

Cream together 1/2 cup shortening and 1 cup sugar. Sift together three times: 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Add alternately with 1/2 cup milk plus the juice from 8-oz. jar maraschino cherries. Flavor with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Fold in lastly 8-oz. jar of maraschino cherries (drained and cut up), and 3 stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake at 375 degrees in small greased tube pan 30-45 minutes. (Test with toothpick.) Cool upside down on cake cooler and frost with a soft chocolate butter icing.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Aunt Rosa’s Fruit Cake

3 lbs. dried figs
4 pkgs. raisins
1/2 lb. candied pineapple
1/2 lb. candied cherries
1/2 lb. candied citron
1/4 lb. candied lemon peel
1/4 lb. candied orange peel
1/2 lb. dates, pitted
1/2 lb. pecans, shelled
1/2 lb. almonds, shelled
1/2 lb. walnuts, shelled

Cut all these into small pieces, flour, and add to the following dough:

5 cups sugar
6 cups flour
1 cup milk
1 cup whiskey or brandy
1 dozen eggs
1 lb. butter
2 teaspoons baking powder

Melt butter, add sugar. Mix well and add eggs then alternately sifted flour with baking powder, and milk and whiskey or brandy. Beat dough until light and add fruit. Makes 16 lb. of fruit cake. Bake in well greased pans lined with brown paper at 300 degrees about 2 1/2 hours.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Banana Bread

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nut meats

Cream shortening and sugar. Add beaten eggs. Add mashed bananas and lemon juice. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and add to banana mixture. Add nuts. Bake in greased loaf pan 375 degrees, 1 1/4 hours. Makes 1 (1 lb.) loaf.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
3 bananas
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
Few grains salt
1/2 cup chopped walnut meats (if desired)

Mash bananas with fork. Add soda. In separate dish, cream butter, add sugar and stir in other ingredients. Add this to banana mixture. Stir. Bake in slow oven 3/4 hour or until done.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted shortening

Cream together and add:

1 egg
3 mashed bananas
1 level teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup walnut meats cut up

Bake at 350 degrees.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Banana Nut Bread

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3 bananas
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup nut meats
Pinch salt
Pinch soda

Mix as you would any cake recipe. Bake in loaf pan at 375 degrees approximately 1 hour.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Banana Spice Layer Cake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed banana, about 4 or 5

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Beat shortening until creamy. Add sugar gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with bananas, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Turn into 2 well greased 9-inch layer cake pans. Bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees) about 25 minutes.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Best Jelly Roll

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons fruit juice, any kind
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons double acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs until light, and add sugar gradually, beating after each addition. Add fruit juice all at once, and fold in the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.

Bake on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan that is lined with waxed paper in a 375 degree oven about 10 minutes or until done.

When baked, invert quickly onto a square of brown paper covered with confectioner’s sugar and spread quickly with a good tart jelly, such as grape. Roll right in the brown paper, and when cool slice. The fruit juice makes this especially light. cut the long way, the slices are daintier.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Black Sour Cream Fruit Cake

1 1/2 cups seedless raisins
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup thick sour cream
2 eggs
3 tablespoons melted shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla

Rinse raisins and drain. Sift next eight ingredients. Mix in raisins and nuts. Add cream, eggs, shortening and vanilla all at once. Beat well. Bake 1 1/4 hours in greased tube pans at 325 degrees.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Boiled Cake

1 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg beaten

Combine raisins, sugar, water, shortening, salt and spices in kettle and let boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in beaten egg. Add flour and baking soda. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake in 350 degree oven 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Bran Prune Bread

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lard
1 egg
2/3 cup prune juice
2/3 cup prunes
2 cups bran flakes
2/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
Nuts if desired

Bake 350 degrees about 1 hour.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Brown Bread

1 cup graham flour
1 cup corn meal
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup molasses

Blend dry ingredients, then add molasses. Stir in 2 cups boiling water. Steam 3 hours. Dry off in oven about 5 minutes.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Brownies

2 squares of chocolate, melt over hot water
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 well-beaten eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nut meats

Mix well and place into 8-inch pan. Bake in a moderate oven, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut in squares while warm.

Editor’s Notes: I baked these at 325 degrees (in a preheated oven) for half an hour. Seemed to work fine. For melting the chocolate, I used a double-boiler with the lid off. I substituted “walnut butter”, from Fastachi, for the chopped nut meats. As I recall, I bought it on Amazon, but you could also go directly to the Fastachi web site if you prefer.

Vegetarian’s Notes: Many shortenings are made with animal fats, so you’ll want to check to make sure the shortening you want to buy is all-vegetable.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs

Brown Sugar Nut Icing

1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup butter, 1/4 cup milk. Place in sauce pan and bring to boil. Boil exactly 3 minutes. Remove from fire and cool. Add sifted confectioners sugar to spread smoothly. Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts just before adding the confectioners sugar, if desired, or sprinkle top of cake with chopped nuts.

Reference: Clubwomen Can Cook Too! late 50’s/early 60’s, The Vermont Federation of Women’s Clubs