VE Day Recipes

This Friday marks 75 years since the end of World War 2 in Europe. During the war, which began in 1939, food was rationed for 14 years! For one adult per week; 1 Fresh Egg, 50g Cheese, 225g Sugar, 50g Butter. We’ve found a recipe for a Victoria Sponge cake used during the war and compared it to today’s recipe; can you see the similarities? It isn’t called a classic recipe for no reason…

1954 Wartime Sandwich

Ingredients:

¼ lb Self raising flour

1 Teaspoonful egg substitute

3oz Sugar

Pinch Salt

1 Gal Milk

Method:

1. Mix dry ingredients in a basin.

2. Add milk by degrees, and beat 10 minutes;

mixture should not be too thin.

3. Bake in two greased sandwich tins in hot oven 20 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and turn on to cake rack. Leave till cold.

5. Spread with jam.

2020 Victoria Sponge

Ingredients:

250g Unsalted butter

250g Caster Sugar

5 medium Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

250g Self Raising Flour

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3

2. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy and pale

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg

4. Add Vanilla extract

5. Add flour in 3 batches, beating well between each batch

6. Pour batter into 2 x 7 inch greased & lined cake tins, level batter in the tins with the back of a spoon

7. Bake for 20 mins, check if cooked by inserting a skewer, if not, pop back in the oven for 5 to 10 mins.

8. When cooked, turn out on a wire rack to cool. Fill your sponge with buttercream and jam.