Enfield Shaker No Egg Cake Recipe

Stir well together the flour and sugar.
Dissolve the cream of tartar and baking soda in the sweet milk.
Add the sweet milk to the flour and sugar while it is still foaming.
Add melted shortening.
Add a little salt flavor if you like it.

Makes a good layer cake or bake in a loaf if you like.

If you choose you can use 2 teaspoons of baking powder.

 

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and grease an 8″ square pan.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Stir vegetable oil into a cup of whole milk and beat into the flour mixture.

Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

When cool, frost with fluffy maple frosting (optional recipe below).

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar and maple syrup.
Bring to a boil while stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, for about 3-5 minutes, or until the brown sugar has dissolved.

Pour the syrup mixture into a mixing bowl. When cool, beat in the remaining ingredients.

Frost the top of the cake. Top with chopped walnuts, if desired.

*Life is always better when you use maple syrup harvested and bottled in New Hampshire!

This original recipe for No Egg Cake was discovered in a cache of family papers by an Enfield Shaker Museum member who kindly donated it to the museum. The recipe was written on an unused billhead dating to the 1890’s that is titled “John Bradford Manufacturer of Shaker Brooms and Sweaters, Dealer in Garden Seeds and Applesauce”. Although we call this informally a recipe for “John Bradford’s No Egg Cake”, the handwriting on the billhead is undoubtedly that of one of the eldresses, trustees, or kitchen sisters at the Shaker village.
Enfield Shaker Museum Accession Number 2014.15.1