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catie’s old times depression cake

★★★★★ 1
CatieBBaker avatar
By Catie B
from LA, CA

I remember my grandmother talking about these cakes. She had a few recipes, but I was never able to find any from her. I think my mother tossed them when she closed up her home. I came across this recipe in the 70's. It sounded like one of the cakes I remembered her talking about, so I kept it. It is a tasty, spice cake, simple, but good. It has no eggs, butter, milk, or frosting, but is just an old-fashioned recipe from the 1930's, a depression cake. It comes together in an unusual way. Be sure to read through the recipe before starting.

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★★★★★ 1
serves 12
prep time 30 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For catie’s old times depression cake

  • 2 c
    sugar
  • 2 c
    strong coffee, water, or apple juice
  • 1/2 c
    shortening
  • 2 c
    dark raisins, or diced pitted prunes
  • 1 md
    apple, peeled and shredded
  • 2 c
    unsifted all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp
    baking soda
  • 2 tsp
    baking powder
  • 1 tsp
    ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp
    ground allspice
  • 1 tsp
    ground cloves
  • 1 tsp
    ground nutmeg
  • 1 c
    chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans

How To Make catie’s old times depression cake

  • 1
    In a medium saucepan, simmer sugar, coffee, shortening, raisins, and apple together for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool 10 minutes.
  • 2
    In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, all the spices, and walnuts. Pour cooled sugar-raisin mixture into dry ingredients; mix well.
  • 3
    Pour batter into greased 13x9x2 in. pan. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 25-30 minutes, until center of cake springs back when lightly pressed with finger. Cut into squares when cool. This is a moist cake, it keeps well and can be frozen.
  • 4
    To make this recipe gluten free, use KAF or your favorite GF flour, following instructions for substituting for flour. This cake is already Vegan and Vegetarian, so no subs are necessary. IF you do not want to use a refined sugar, you may try a substitute. I have not, so I cannot tell you how it will affect the recipe. But as it is not used to beat and add structure to the mixture, I think it would work. Good Luck.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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