Trench Cake

During World War One troops were under enormous pressure fighting in the trenches. Families back home in the UK were limited by the lack of ingredients due to rationing, but they were also enormously resourceful.

The families making the cakes were very inventive and made cakes from the ingredients they had available. The cakes also had to be robust enough and long lasting to be sent by post whilst remining edible when they arrived.

They proved to be great morale-boosters for the soldiers and airmen.

Eggs not easy to get hold of so vinegar was used instead. Dried fruits helped the cake stay moist for a period. As flour was rationed, Trench cake was made small and compact. Perfect for transporting from Britain to the trenches of France.

There were variations on the cake as families did the best, they could with the ingredients they had to hand.  For example, sugar was often substituted with molasses or honey as it was not easy to get hold of.

The cakes not only gave the troops nutritional value but they reminded them of what they were fighting for and that they were loved by those at home.

This is a typical list of ingredients:

½ C milk

½ tsp baking soda

1/3 C + 1 TBSP currants or raisins

1 C all-purpose flour

½ C margarine

2 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp vinegar

1/3 C + 1 TBSP brown sugar

Spices – traditionally they used whatever was available like ginger, nutmeg, lemon zest and cinnamon.

It is well worth making one of these cakes as they are fun, especially for kids, to make. But they also remind us of their important role in history and the love which they were made with. Why not make a Trench cake now?