Baked to the original war-time recipe by Frances Quinn, winner of last year’s Great British Bake Off, trench cake is a type of fruitcake, with limited ingredients reflecting food shortages at the time.
“Baking this cake is about re-telling a story," she said. "From the smell of the bake to the emotions poured into it along with the ingredients. Baking has always created and strengthened bonds between people. It can’t be rushed and as such, gives us time to reflect. This year, I think we should take that time to remember the incredible bravery and sacrifice of so many during the First World War.”
The 1916 recipe is taken from Elizabeth Craig’s Economical Cookery book:
Ingredients:½lb flour; 4oz margarine; 1 tsp vinegar; ¼ pint of milk; 3oz brown sugar; 3oz cleaned currants; 2 tsp cocoa; ½ tsp baking soda; nutmeg; ginger; grated lemon rind.
Method: Grease a cake tin. Rub margarine into the flour in a basin. Add dry ingredients. Add the soda dissolved in vinegar and milk. Beat well. Turn into the tin. Bake in a moderate oven.
