Volunteer Recipe: Hurry Up Cake

Recipe by: Mary Magennis

This is Mary’s version of the 1936 Joy of Cooking's Hurry Up Cake.

Cake Ingredients

• 1 C Sugar (white or equivalent substitute)

• 1/2 C Butter, melted

• 2 Eggs

• 1 tsp Vanilla

• 1/2 C Milk*

• 1/2 tsp Salt

• 2 1/4 tsp Baking Soda

• 1 3/4 C Flour (whole, white, mixed, or gluten free alternative)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°

• Butter a 9" round or square pan. (This is a single layer, quick cake; double it if you want a layer cake.)

• In a large bowl, briskly whisk together the first five ingredients for about 2 minutes.

• Then add the salt & baking powder.

• Gradually add the flour in 1/2 cup increments, sitting with a fork, whisk, or rubber spatula.

• Pour into buttered pan and bake for 35 - 50 minutes (depending upon your oven & variations, below), til cake pick comes out clean.

I don't frost this cake - instead I sprinkle raw sugar on the bottom of the pan (after buttering) & then flip it after it comes out of the oven & cools for about 5 minutes - that caramelized sugar is divine.

* A half cup of liquid is needed - milk, coconut milk, tea, juice, coffee. What you choose for your liquid may affect the cake's flavor (coffee for instance) but try experimenting!

Variations

Spice Cake

Follow original directions above, adding:

• 1 tsp each of cinnamon & allspice

• 1/2 tsp each of ginger & cloves

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

You can also add

1/2 C chopped apple &/or golden raisins &/or chopped nuts of your choice (add these last).

Try substituting apple juice, spiced cider, or brewed Good Earth tea for the milk!

Chocolate Cake

Follow original directions above, adding:

Substitute 1/2 C of the flour with 1/4 (to 1/2) C baking cocoa.

You can also add 1/2 C chocolate chips &/or 1/2 C chopped nuts of your choice! Add these last.

Try substituting chocolate milk for the plain milk.

Blueberry Cake

Follow original directions above, adding:

• A layer of fresh or frozen blueberries to the bottom of the buttered cake pan & then sprinkle with raw or brown sugar.

• 1/4 tsp each cardamom & nutmeg

Jam Cake

Follow original directions above, adding:

• 1/4 C Flour

• 1/4 C Jam (apricot, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry are all excellent!)