Spring Sweets & Garden Dreams
JUMP TO RECIPE
When living in places where there are only two seasons rather than four, I missed Spring. Its subtle changes from day to day might easily be overlooked, like its pale hues on the landscape. It is a glorious season full of miracles in nature, a time to plant and sow, with the promise of a harvest.
People across the European continent during World War II endured some horrible winters, including one of the coldest on record. With limited fuel, food and clothing, it is hard to imagine how welcome the change in seasons must have been for them. It was a busy season, too. Nearly everyone on the Home Front was preparing the year’s Victory Gardens. Having just come through a winter season, they knew all too well the importance of growing and preserving food for the winter to come.
A Delicate Dessert for a Delicate Season
The lengthening days were a cause for celebration—but how to celebrate on the ration? World War II-era homemakers were experts at finding ways to pull special dishes together with seemingly nothing. The cake here would have been a splurge because it uses three eggs, but considering pre-war sponge cakes might have taken double that amount (or more), this recipe would have made the popular Victoria Sponge possible.
One of the nicest things about sponge cakes is their versatility. They could be put into a trifle; soaked in simple syrup or warm jam; topped with lemon curd, jam, fresh fruit, fruit compote, ganache, frosting, icing sugar or mock whipped cream. The cake itself could be flavored with vanilla, ginger or herbs—whatever was on hand. And they are easy to make! They only require the proper handling of the eggs, which make the cakes light and fluffy.
Getting the Right Sugar
The recipe here calls for caster sugar, which was not available at my grocery store. Caster sugar is also known as superfine sugar. It dissolves more quickly, which is helpful especially in some dessert recipes. If you don’t have it either, it is easy to make by putting granulated sugar in a food processor or blender and pulsing two or three times. If you pulse more, you’ll make powdered sugar—which would be a delicious topping.
During the war, half a cup of sugar would have been a lot. It makes this a very sweet cake. The amount of sugar could easily be reduced, especially if using sweet toppings. Strawberries would have been a natural choice for fresh fruit in Spring but the cake would be good with almost any kind of fruit. Also, other sweeteners could be substituted such as golden syrup, corn syrup or honey.
Mock Whipped Cream
One of the very best ways to serve Sponge Cake is with whipped cream. That was a luxury most homemakers in Europe didn’t have, although it would have been available in North America and some other countries. For those who couldn’t have real whipped cream, there was Mock Whipped Cream—and multiple versions of it! Some were decent substitutes and others were simply horrid. I tried several different wartime-era recipes and found one that is actually good even though it doesn’t look exactly like real whipped cream. If you would like to try it, the recipe is included in my blog post entitled “Simple Love in a Complicated World.” With a few fresh berries and a bit of jam, it makes a delectable dessert just right for the warmer days ahead.
Edmonds Fielder's Classic Sponge
A classic sponge cake that might have been possible even during World War II rationing--and just as delicious today.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Separate eggs. Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff.
- Add sugar gradually and beat until stiff and sugar has dissolved.
- Add egg yolks. Beat until well blended.
- Sift together corn flour, flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture.
- Pour into two 20 cm (8-inch) greased and lined sandwich tins. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15 to 20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Leave in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes
1) The eggs should be at room temperature.
2) Pans should be greased, then lined with parchment paper, then lightly greased again.
3) The air in the eggs is what makes the cake light and fluffy. Beat the eggs about 10 minutes, until pale and fluffy, to incorporate as much air as possible. Then, fold dry ingredients in gently and immediately place in the oven.
4) Serve with whipped cream (or mock whipped cream), fresh fruit, jam or icing sugar.
References
Goodman Fielder, Robyn Martin & Associates. Edmonds Sure To Rise Cookery Book. Ellerslie, Auckland: Goodman Fielder New Zealand Limited, 2011.
“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”
Psalm 106:1