by Sandra Fikes

Created on: February 15, 2010   Last Updated: February 16, 2010

In the early part of the 20th century, the world was at war. It was called at the time the war to end all wars, and in later years would be known as World War 1. From 1914 to 1918, we saw a side of war unlike any other. A side where the soldier would go far from home to fight with allies in battles on foreign soil, and where those left at home would, as the war dragged on, be called on to do their own part to help win the war by being conservative in all things, particularly wheat, meats, fat and sugar.

Posters and books encouraged everyone in America to eat less wheat, meats, fat and sugar to help the war effort. One poster by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (found in the stack of posters here: http://www.firstworldwar.com/posters/usa.htm) encouraged everyone to “Eat more corn, oats and rye products – fish and poultry – fruits, vegetables and potatoes baked boiled and broiled foods. Eat less wheat, meat, sugar and fats to save for the army and our allies.” Another poster declares “Food will win the war. You came here seeking freedom, you must now help to preserve it. WHEAT is needed for the allies. Waste nothing.” And perhaps my personal favorite is one by the United States Food Administration of several fish swimming underwater with the message to “Save the products of the land. Eat more fish – they feed themselves.”

With all of the efforts to save food, there was a change in the recipes that created what came to be known as war cakes. Cakes that were made to help win the war by being made from recipes that were designed specifically to help save on the ingredients most needed in the war effort. I think the best way to understand what a war cake is, is to examine the actual recipes that were created for the kitchens of the wartime era.

Recipes such as the:

WHEATLESS, EGGLESS, BUTTERLESS, MILKLESS, SUGARLESS CAKE

1 cup corn syrup
2 cups water
2 cups raisins
2 tablespoons fat
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1½ cups fine cornmeal, 2 cups rye flour; or, 3½ cups whole wheat flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder, or, ½ teaspoon soda

Cook corn syrup, water, raisins, fat, salt and spices slowly 15 minutes. When cool, add flour, soda or baking powder, thoroughly blended. Bake in slow oven 1 hour. The longer this cake is kept, the better the texture and flavor. This recipe is sufficient to fill one medium-sized bread pan.

While the above cake could be made with whole wheat

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