Jeana’s Journal

This time of year I relish the smell of a slow, oven-cooked meal and cinnamon. There is a coziness and a sense of comfort that comes from a house warmed by the smell of good food and heated by that same food baking in the oven.

When I was young Sunday dessert was often a cake that Mom made from a recipe book she had purchased as a bride during World War II. On Saturday nights my mother would pull out her battered cookbook, the cover long gone from many years of service, and turn to the page with the recipe called: Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake. The page was spattered and stained from much use.

The appeal of this recipe is stated in it’s title….no hard to find ingredients. As she prepared this cake the house would fill with the aroma of sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. For me, a sense of well-being always accompanied the preparation of this cake.

Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake

1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

1-1/4 c. water

1/3 c. shortening

2/3 c. raisins

½ t. nutmeg

2 t. cinnamon

½ t. powdered cloves

2 c. flour

½ t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

2 t. water

Boil sugar, water, shortening and spices for five minutes. Cool slightly and stir in flour, salt, and baking powder. Dissolve soda in 2 teaspoons of water and add last to the batter. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish and pour in cake. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Evenings in the fall always make me think of this cake. To be completely honest, the cake is a little dry, but when accompanied by thick vanilla frosting and a glass of milk it makes a perfect treat.

Cold weather is closing in on us and the deer are coming to the fields around our house to eat. Tonight as I drove home after dark I saw six deer (two of them fawns) crossing the road. We have protected our young trees with tall poles and wire fencing around each of them to keep the vulnerable new growth out of the reach of the deer. It seems mean-spirited to tempt the deer with young trees and then prevent their approach, especially when inside the house we are comforted by good food and a warm house.