Cookbook Purusings- No Depression Cake

No Depression Cake comes from the Chicken Soup for the Soul Cookbook. As you know this series is a compilation of uplifting stories with a theme. This one contains a recipe with each story. If you are like me and read cookbooks like novels this is a book for you. It is truly a combination of both.The No Depression cake is from a story by Dottie Walters. The gist of the story is when things are down instead of looking at what you don't have turn it around and look at what you do have and go on from there. The recipe is a genuine milkless, eggless, and butterless cake from the depression era. The author has this to say about it. "You can substitute other ingredients for any you don't have. The one thing this cake is full of, however is memories of cheerfully creating with what is at hand and on hand- and never giving up hope."

No Depression Cake

Makes 12 to 15 servings and lots of smiles!

1 cup white sugar
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups water
1 cup shortening
4 cups seedless raisins (if you have any)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups chopped nuts (if you have any)
Powdered sugar, to decorate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. In a large saucepan, combine sugars, water, shortening, raisins, spices and salt. Boil together 3 minutes; cool.
Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to saucepan, along with nuts. Mix well and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven. Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn onto a cake plate. When thoroughly cool sprinkle with a little powdered sugar, or mix lemon juice and grated lemon rind into powdered sugar for frosting.