Old Fashioned Cake

I still giggle about the time my friend asked her then five year old daughter what kind of cake was served at my son's birthday party. It was an old fashioned one, she replied. Her mom knew then it was my chocolate cake. It 'is' an old recipe, from past times on the farm, when milk and eggs were not available... Enjoy!!

3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (but I never add this)
1/2 cup corn oil
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups cold water

Preheat oven to 350 F. Using a fork, blend flour with sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Using the tail end of the fork or a spoon, make three wells in the dry ingredients.

Pour oil in one hole, vinegar in another, and vanilla in the third. Pour cold water over top, and mix until well combined.

Pour into a lightly greased 9" square baking pan and bake on centre rack of oven at 350 F for 45 minutes, or until springy when lightly touched in the centre.

Makes 8 - 12 servings.

Tip: For a round cake, use a 9 1/2" spring form pan. Reduce cooking temperature to 325 F, and bake for 65 - 75 minutes or until springy when lightly touched in the centre.

Spice Cake with Raisin Sauce

CAKE:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup sour milk (add a couple drops of vinegar to regular milk)
1 & 3/4 cup flour
3 tbsp molasses
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp soda.

Bake at 350 for approx 25 min.

FILLING:
mix with 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 cup raisins
1 tbsp flour
butter the size of an egg.

Boil until thick, and add 1 tsp vanilla.

My Aunt usually doubles the filling to ice the cake with. If you bake the cake in two layers, the cooking time is a bit less, and be sure to put filling in between the two layers of the cake. This was a favourite of my Dad and his twin brother for their birthday for many, many years...