Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cake

Blackberry Cake on plate

Berries, berries everywhere. I flipped through a hundred-year-old cookbook to see if there were any berry recipes, and came across a lovely recipe for Blackberry Cake.

Blackberry Cake is a spice cake that contains blackberries. The combination works really well, and the cake was delicious. It makes a lovely summer dessert.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Blackberry Cake — Source: Pennsylvania State Grange Cook Book (1926)

A hundred years ago, canned blackberries were readily available. In those days, before home freezers, many cooks canned blackberries to preserve them. Commercially canned blackberries were also sold in many stores.

Since it’s difficult to find canned blackberries today, I substituted fresh blackberries for canned ones when I made the recipe. I used a pint package of blackberries and cooked them with a little sugar prior to using in this recipe. The blackberries I used were very large, so I cut each berry into 2 or 3 pieces before cooking. After they were cooked, they had a consistency (and liquid) similar to canned blackberries.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Blackberry Cake

Servings: 8 - 10
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: moderate
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1 cup canned blackberries, including liquid (or use 1 pint (8 ounces) fresh blackberries + 1/4 cup sugar)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon allspice

Step 1. If using fresh blackberries, put blackberries in a saucepan. (If the blackberries are very large, first cut each one into 2 or 3 pieces.) Stir in 1/4 cup sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow time for juice to be drawn out of the berries, then heat, using medium heat until the liquid begins to boil; reduce heat and simmer until the berries are soft (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.

Step 2. Drain the blackberries. Reserve both the berries and liquid. (Regardless of whether canned or cooked berries are used, they will need to be drained.)

Step 3. Preheat oven to 350° F.

Step 4. Grease and flour a loaf pan or a 9-inch square baking pan. (I used a square pan.).

Step 5. Cream butter and 1 cup sugar. Add water, and eggs; beat to combine. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add blackberry juice; beat until well blended.

Step 6. Then stir in the cooked blackberries. Pour into prepared pan.

Step 7. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

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Bride’s and Groom’s Cakes a Hundred Years Ago

Bride's Cake — Source: Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

There have been beautifully decorated cakes at weddings for at least a hundred years (and the tradition probably goes back much longer). The 1926 edition of Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking cookbook included recipes for both Bride’s and Groom’s Cakes.

I never heard of Groom’s Cake until I saw it in the old cookbook. An online search showed that Groom’s Cake is still served at some weddings. There is regional variation in the popularity of Groom’s Cake, with it being more popular in Britain and the southern U.S. than in other regions.

In the hundred-year-old cookbook, the batter used to make the Bride’s Cake was white. The same basic batter was used for both cakes, but fruit, cocoa and spices were added to the Groom’s Cake batter. It also was smaller than the Bride’s Cake, though both were beautifully decorated.

Groom Cake — Source: Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

The cakes in the pictures were beautiful, but since I had no need for wedding cakes, I didn’t try to replicate them. In case you are interested, here are the recipes in the old cookbook:

Recipes for Bride's and Groom's Cakes — Source: Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

Old-Fashioned Jellied Rhubarb

Can a recipe failure be a success? I think that I have a case where the dish I made didn’t turn out as expected, but I absolutely love the food I ended up with. Let me explain.

I decided to make a hundred-year-old recipe for Jellied Rhubarb. To illustrate the post, I planned to show a picture of a beautifully molded gelatin ring with the piped whipped cream on top. Instead, I ended up with a bright, sunny rhubarb sauce that contained delightful notes of lemon.

I think that this is the first time that I’ve ever made a recipe that called for both rhubarb and lemon juice (and lemon rind). The combination works! Both the rhubarb and the lemon are tart and tangy, while the lemon brings an additional subtle sweetness and refreshing citrus taste. I can’t figure out why it’s not a common combination.

Each spring and early summer, I make lots of rhubarb dishes, and I’m certain I’ll make this recipe again.

Recipe for Jellied Rhubarb (Rhubarb Gelatin) — Source: Ladies Home Journal (May, 1926)

I’m still trying to figure out why the gelatin did not firmly set. As I go over how I made the recipe in my head, I think that there might be several factors that caused the problems. First, I took some short cuts when making the recipe. To cook the rhubarb, the recipe calls for mixing the rhubarb pieces, sugar, and water, and then baking for 50 minutes. This seemed like an odd (and very slow) way to get cooked rhubarb, so I put the rhubarb, sugar, and water in a pan and cooked it for a few minutes until the rhubarb was soft.

Second, I may have inadvertently not used as much unflavored gelatin as the recipe called for. It calls for 2 1/2 tablespoons of gelatin; I used 2 packets of gelatin. At the time, I thought that 2 packets contained a lot of gelatin and that it must contain at least 2 1/2 tablespoons. In hindsight (and after I researched it following my recipe failure), I realized that each 0.25 ounce packet only contains about a tablespoon of gelatin. (Note to self: Measure don’t guess when making recipes.)

Third, the recipe is a bit vague. It mentions straining the rhubarb juice at one point in the recipe, but at a later point, it mentions that the jellied rhubarb can be an excellent tart filling if it is not strained too thoroughly. This led me to decide to strain the cooked rhubarb, put the juice back in the pan, add the gelatin, and reheat until the gelatin was dissolved. I then stirred the rhubarb that I’d strained out back in. Perhaps I shouldn’t have done that. The recipe mentions the tart filling in connection with “not thoroughly strained” rhubarb, not molded gelatin. In any case, adding the rhubarb back in would have increased the volume of the mixture, and it may have required additional gelatin if I wanted a firmly molded gelatin.

Bottom line, the series of mistakes and shortcuts that I took resulted in the recipe not turning out as the recipe author intended. After the rhubarb and gelatin mixture failed to properly jell, I considered reheating the mixture, straining it, and adding additional gelatin; but, in the end, I decided that I was happy with the dish that I got and didn’t do that.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Jellied Rhubarb

Servings: 5 - 7
Time: 20 minutes active prep time
Difficulty: moderate
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4 cups red rhubarb cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

juice and grated rinds of 2 lemons

2 packets (0.25-ounce packets) unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

Step 1. Put the diced rhubarb, sugar, and 2 cups of water in a large saucepan. Using medium heat, bring to a boil; reduce temperature and simmer until tender (about 5 minutes); stir occasionally. Remove from heat.

Step 2. In the meantime, put the 1/2 cup cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top of the water, and let soak for 15 minutes.

Step 3. Strain the cooked rhubarb. Keep both the rhubarb and the juice.

Step 4. Put the rhubarb juice back in the pan; add the gelatin that has been soaked in water.

Step 5. Bring back to a boil while stirring constantly.

Step 6. Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon juice, grated lemon rind, and the cooked rhubarb that previously had been strained out.

Step 7. Put in a bowl and put in the refrigerator; chill for at least 3 hours.

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Tips for Using Extra Egg Yolks

In a 1926 cookbook called, Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking, Mrs. Peterson writes that one of the most frequent questions she gets when conducting a cooking class is “What shall I do with egg yolks?”

Both a hundred years ago and now there are numerous recipes that call for egg white, and the cook ends up with leftover egg yolks. To assist readers, Mrs. Peterson provided a list of ways to use them.

List of uses for egg yolks — Source: Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

Intrigued by the Yellow Jacket Frosting suggestion, I flipped to the cookbook’s index and found the recipe for Yellow Jacket Frosting. According to the recipe, it is a lemon-colored, cooked frosting made using egg yolks, marshmallows, sugar, and Karo.

Old-Fashioned Chicken Roll (Chicken and Olive Roll)

A recipe for Chicken Roll in a 1926 magazine intrigued me. The roll was made using Baking Powder Biscuit dough, then filled with a chopped chicken and olive mixture and rolled similarly to how a jelly roll is made.

The roll can be cut into rounds prior to baking. After it is baked, it is served with White Sauce.

The recipe turned out well. The Chicken Roll rounds made a nice presentation and were tasty. The tangy, briny olives provided the predominate flavor, with the taste of the chicken being much more nuanced. If I had been the recipe author, I would have called this food a Chicken and Olive Roll.

Chicken Roll Recipe — Source: Ladies Home Journal (June, 1926)

One-half teaspoon of scraped onion did not seem like very much, so I used 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onions.

I assumed that “olives” in the recipe referred to green stuffed olives.

I have made White Sauce so many times over the years that I didn’t need a recipe for it, but I did need a recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits. Here’s a hundred-year-old that I found for them:

As directed in the original Chicken Roll recipe, I doubled the amount of shortening when making the Baking Powder Biscuit dough.

After I added the milk, I mixed the dough with a fork rather than a knife.

When I rolled the dough to 1/3-inch thickness, it seemed rather thick, so I rolled it a little more to make it about 1/4-inch thick.

I cut the roll into rounds prior to baking. Two-inch thick rounds are very thick, so I cut them into 1-inch rounds.

My husband and I ate half the rounds one day, and I reheated the remainder the next. I made a half recipe of white sauce each day that we poured over the baked rounds of Chicken Roll.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Chicken Roll (Chicken Olive Roll)

Servings: 3 - 5
Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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Filling

1 1/4 cups cold cooked chicken, finely chopped

1/3 cup chopped stuffed green olives

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/8 teaspoon paprika

Baking Powder Biscuit Dough

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup shortening

2/3 cup milk

White Sauce

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

Step 1. Preheat oven to 450° F.

Step 2. Put the chopped chicken, olives, onions, and paprika in a bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.

Step 3. Make the Baking Powder Biscuit dough by combining the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, then cut in the shortening; add milk, and stir with a fork until the dough forms.

Step 4. Put the biscuit dough on a prepared surface, and roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick (approximately 9″ X 12″).

Step 5. Spread the chicken and olive mixture on the dough, then roll the dough starting at one of the short edges (similarly to how a jelly roll is rolled).

Step 6. Cut the roll into 1-inch thick rounds, then place the rounds on a lightly greased backing sheet.

Step. 7. Put in oven and bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until the rounds are lightly browned.

Step 8. In the meantime, make the White Sauce. In another pan, using medium heat, melt butter, then stir in the flour and salt. Gradually, add the milk while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the white sauce begins to thicken.

Step 9. To serve, put the baked Chicken Roll rounds on a plate, and serve with the White Sauce (or, if desired, pour the White Sauce on the baked rounds prior to serving).

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1926 Doughnut Recipe Poem

Sometimes old community and organizational cookbooks contain poems or sayings about food and cooking. The 1926 Pennsylvania State Grange Cookbook includes a recipe for doughnuts written in rhyme. I didn’t try making the recipe (Can you trust a recipe written as a poem?), but it was a fun read.

Hundred-Year-Old Recipe for Egg Foyung (Egg Foo Young)

I recently was surprised to find several recipes for Asian foods in a hundred-year-old U.S. cookbook. The introduction to the chapter on luncheon and supper dishes in a 1926 cookbook called Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking says:

So many persons have asked for some reliable recipes for Chinese dishes that I have included some favorite ones here. These dishes are unusual and delicious in flavor. The bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and sauces called for may be purchased canned from any grocer who imports.

The cookbook included recipes for Chop Suey, Chinese Rice, Fried Rice, Chow Mien, and Egg Foyung. The cookbook author spelled both the Chow Mein and Egg Foo Young differently than we spell them today. I am not sure if she was uncertain how to spell them and tried to spell the words the way they sounded to her, or whether they are archaic spellings.

I have no idea how authentic the recipes are, but am guessing that they are different from foods actually served in China. In any case, I decided to give the Egg Foyung (Egg Foo Young) a try.

The old recipe calls for many of the same ingredients that modern Egg Foo Young recipes call for (eggs, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, pork or chicken); however, the process for making the dish is a little different from most modern recipes. Many modern recipes call for pouring a soy sauce mixture on egg pancakes (or omelet), while this recipe calls for coating the cooked egg pancakes with a soy-based gravy by putting them in a skillet with the hot gravy, and then flipping to coat the other side.

The verdict: The Egg Foyung (Egg Foo Young) was fun to make and tasty.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Egg Fuyung — Source: Mrs. Peterson’s Simplified Cooking (1926)

This recipe makes a lot of Egg Foyung, so I halved the amount of batter that I made, but used the amount of vegetable oil that the original recipe called for to ensure that the oil was an adequate depth. I also made the original amount of the gravy; however, when I started putting the egg pancakes into the gravy to absorb some of the liquid, I quickly ran out of it and had to make more. So, when I updated the recipe, I doubled the ingredients used to make the gravy.

When I halved the batter-portion of the recipe, I used half of an 8-ounce can of sliced water chestnuts and half of an 8-ounce can of bamboo shoots. I refrigerated the extra water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. To use the remaining water chestnuts and bamboo shoots, I made the recipe a second time several days later.

I assumed that “Chinese sauce” referred to soy sauce. I reduced the amount of salt when I made the recipe. It seemed like the old recipe called for too much, especially since the gravy contained substantive salt because of the soy sauce in it.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Egg Foyung (Egg Foo Young)

Servings: 3 - 4
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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1/2 cup bamboo shoots (I used half of a 7-ounce can.)

1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts (I used half of a 7-ounce can.)

1/2 cup cooked pork or chicken, cut into thin 2 inch strips (I used pork.)

6 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons corn starch

4 teaspoons water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup broth or water (I used beef broth.)

Step 1. Cut the water chestnuts and bamboo shoots into thin strips. If the bamboo strips are longer than two inches, cut them in half.

Step 2. Put the eggs, water chestnuts strips, bamboo shoot strips, and pork or chicken strips into a mixing bowl; stir to evenly distribute all the ingredients.

Step 3. Put the oil and salt in a large heavy skillet and stir, then heat until hot using medium heat.

Step 4. Drop the egg mixture from a tablespoon into the hot oil. Evenly space the spoonfuls of the mixture in the pan. Cook until the egg mixture thickens, then flip and cook the other side. Remove from pan and put on a warm oven (275° F.) while while making the remaining ones. The egg pancakes will need to be cooked in several batches.

Step 5. Once all the egg pancakes have been made, pour any remaining oil out of the skillet. Turn off heat until the soy gravy is mixed.

Step 6. To make the soy gravy, put the cornstarch in a bowl, add 4 teaspoons water, then stir until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the 1 cup of broth or water.

Step 7. Reheat skillet using medium heat, then add the gravy mixture. Heat until the mixture thickens, while stirring continuously.

Step 8. Place a few of the egg pancakes in the gravy, then flip, and remove from the skillet. Repeat until all of the pancakes are coated with the gravy. Serve immediately.

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