Spice Cake

Made with sorghum and coffee.

When an amount of flour isn’t listed in a cake recipe like this, you’re generally supposed to wing it and put in enough flour for the result to look like, well, cake batter.

From a notebook originally from somewhere in the general area of Sterling, Colorado from the 1930s.

This recipe is from the eighth page of the notebook; here’s the page in full (click to enlarge).

Click to expand a longer explanation...

In the words of the seller:
I acquired this book from the great granddaughter of the woman who wrote this book back in a small Nebraska town in the 30’s. She belonged to that generation of rural housewives who worked tirelessly to make ends meet and “keep body and soul together” for their families working the farms.

Later addendum:

[A]fter a conversation I had with a friend’s sister who used to live in North Eastern Colorado, given the type of recipes listed we decided it might be from a small town there, i.e., Sterling or Fort Morgan. Also North Platte or Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Even Cheyenne, Wyoming. If you Google a map of Sterling, Colorado and pull back, you will see all these little towns in that tri-state area.

(Spice Cake) from Mrs. Lerner

1 c. sugar or a little more
1 egg
3 Tbsp. syrup with sorghum into cup and fill with coffee
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. soda

Handful raisins, cut fine

Allspices like cinnamon, nutmeg, (ginger)



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