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Poor Man’s Cake

poor mans cake on a white plate. no eggs, butter or milk in this vegan cake recipe with raisins
Photo Credit
Sam Jones/Quinn Brein
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
12 to 15 servings
Category
Cakes and Frostings
Course
Desserts
Credit
Ruth Gagen Brentwood Historical Society, Brentwood, New Hamp
Sources
Yankee Magazine Church Suppers and Potluck Dinners Cookbook

Why do we call this recipe Poor Man’s Cake? It’s a vintage cake recipe created during the Depression Era during the 1930s. The “poor man” refers to the ingredients; no butter, milk, or eggs are needed! This doesn’t affect the taste because it’s the best cake ever!

Most of these ingredients should be found right in the pantry. Just add raisins—which you boil for plumpness. If you wish, you could always add walnuts. This is a great vegan option for a moist, delicious cake!

It’s fine without frosting, but we like to pair the cake with a cream cheese frosting, such as the one we use on our Best Ever Carrot Cake. If you don’t have frosting, a sprinkling of powdered sugar works, too.

Enjoy this old-fashioned cake! We’re so glad that we rediscovered it in our recipe archives. It’s a keeper!

Ingredients
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 package (15 ounces) raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water
cream cheese frosting (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
  2. In a pan, combine brown sugar, hot water, salt, shortening, raisins, and spices. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
  3. In a bowl, combine flour and dissolved baking soda, add to the batter, and mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  4. Cool in the pan. Frost, if desired.

About The Author
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

Under the guiding hand of its first editor, Robert B. Thomas, the premiere issue of The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president.Today, the Almanac...
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Comments

<span>Diane</span> Wed, 04/21/2021 - 20:36
Do I need to make any changes in the amounts of certain ingredients or add anything to bake this at 5100 ft. altitude?
<span>Ellie</span> Wed, 04/21/2021 - 20:12
Yes, I remember that cake and I think I still have the recipe for it. We were poor but we didn't thik so. We always had enough of what we needed - but not always what we wanted. My sister's hand me down shoes fit her narrow feet but not my wider feet - tough.
<span>Cindy</span> Wed, 04/21/2021 - 19:55
This is a cake we have always made for the holidays. It truly is the best. I am now trying to get this working with Gluten free flour.
<span>Enf</span> Wed, 04/21/2021 - 12:33
Agree w another reader.... my mother made this “ boiled cake”! Often at Christmas.
<span>Bev</span> Wed, 04/21/2021 - 10:46
My neighbor used to talk about his favorite "Man's Cake". it looked a lot like this recipe but used mincemeat? Anyone ever hear of this and have the recipe?
<span>Debi</span> Wed, 04/21/2021 - 07:41
My Gram often made this cake many years ago. Brings back so many sweet memories. I’ll definitely try it and see if it’s the same
<span>Gloria</span> Tue, 04/20/2021 - 23:53
My mother in law gave me this recipe in the 60s and it called for lard instead of shortening. It's delicious but I haven't made it in years.
<span>Nancy White</span> Tue, 04/20/2021 - 22:42
This is exactly the same as my Grandma's Boiled Cake! The only difference is that her recipe only made an 8x8 size cake, so it is great to have this recipe that makes a 9x13! Thank you so much for posting it!
<span>Elle Baker</span> Tue, 04/20/2021 - 22:33
This is very similar to Eggless Milkless Spice Cake in the Joy of Cooking cookbook. An easy to make cake and delicious, even without frosting.
<span>Shay Simmons</span> Tue, 04/20/2021 - 20:01
It's also called Canadian War Cake, and under that name predates the depression by about 13 years.