Hey New Lenox Patriots - wait until you try this wartime cake.  I remember making this cake when I was a kid with my mom.  While we baked, she would tell me stories about her living on the homefront as a young woman during the Second World War.  This luscious, wartime chocolate cake with all its memories just resurfaced for me as one of the most requested recipes on the King Arthur Flour website.

Because of the rations during World War II, homemakers became creative with their baking due to necessity.  These “wartime” or “victory” cakes limited the use of ingredients that were rationed.  This recipe was developed because it called for no eggs or milk; has simple ingredients; and it’s all put together right in the pan and mixed with a fork.  The ingredients are assembled in a cake pan, then baked and eaten right out of the same pan.

It will soon be a favorite at your house.  Not only because of the taste and its pure simplicity but as an added bonus, the cake contains moist and chocolaty taste without cholesterol and for only 138 calories per wedge.

I’d love to hear your comments on this recipe or please share any similar wartime recipes.

King Arthur Flour’s Original Cake Pan Cake

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/king-arthur-flours-original-cake-pan-cake-recipe

As reprinted from the King Arthur Flour’s website.

1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/4 cup (3/4 ounce) cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) vinegar
1/3 cup (2 5/8 ounces) vegetable oil
1 cup (8 ounces) cold water (original recipe), coffee (next inspiration), milk (later inspiration), or 3/4 cup water and 1/4 cup rum (latest inspiration) [I prefer the rum version]

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Measure all the dry ingredients into an 8" or 9" round or square cake pan; if you use an 8" pan, make sure it's at least 2" deep. Blend the ingredients together thoroughly with a fork or whisk and scoop out three holes, or indentations.

Pour the vanilla into the first hole, the vinegar into the second, and the vegetable oil into the third.

Take the cup of cold liquid (water, coffee, milk, etc.) and pour it directly over everything in the pan. Note: If you've used espresso powder, adding coffee will make this a mocha cake. Stir all the ingredients together with your fork until they are well blended.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve right from the pan; warm from the oven, this Cake-Pan Cake is wonderful with a big glass of milk (skim, of course!) Yield: 12 to 16 servings.