I love the nostalgia of all things old. I love to collect old cast iron, old mason jars and old heritage recipes. My 92 year old grandma just moved in with my sister. We have spent some good time talking about the old times. In her unpacking, she came across some recipes she says are from my grandpa’s mother. Naturally, it was my life’s mission to get copies of these recipes. I am going to share with you one of these such goodies, Western Cake.
Western Cake Heritage Recipe
Heritage Stories
While procuring these family jewels my grandma told me some things I was completely unaware of. My grandma was in high school when her mother worked in aviation in Dallas Texas. My great grandmother worked riveting parts for B52 bombers during World War II. “Rosie the Riveter” was the nickname given to these women working in the avaiation factories. I never knew such exciting things.
Everyone Helped Out for the War Effort
I remember my great grandmother a little (we were pen pals for a time), she worked the 3pm to 3am shift so my grandma took care of her younger brother and younger sister. My granny says she remembers my great grandma leaving her paycheck on the table and my grandma would take it to the bank and do the grocery shopping. Sounds like a lot of work for a high school girl but I guess everyone was doing their part because a lot of high school aged boys were going off to war.
Times have Changed
Looking at the original handwritten recipe I had to do some research to find out the measurements for a “box” of powdered sugar and a “box” of flour. A box of powdered sugar is a pound which measures to about 3 1/2cups. One article I read said once the box of powdered sugar was emptied it would then be filled with flour to get the same measurement. I find this completely hilarious. Here’s how I make my own powdered sugar.
Western Cake
Ingredients
- 3 sticks butter 1.5lbs
- 3½ cups powdered sugar
- 6 eggs
- 3½ cups flour
- 1 tsp lemon
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°
- Cream together butter and sugar.
- Add in eggs.
- Mix in flour.
- Mix in lemon and vanilla.
- Grease 2 loaf pans or 1 bundt pan.
- Pour cake mixture into pans of your choice.
- Bake at 325° for 1.5 hours.
How to Make Your Own Powdered Sugar
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