These have a long tradition of being simple but delicious cakes named for the so-called weary willie hobo’s that wandered the country after the Civil War, and then those who were homeless drifters during the 1920’s depression years.  Apparently, the Willie’s were not the drifters that were willing to work for pay or food, but the ones who just drifted and didn’t want to work for any kind of a hand out.  This is only speculation, and it is not really known where this cake came from, but there are a couple of old cook books with the recipe in them. 

One source of it is from a Vermont tea room called the Weathervane which was published a cookbook in 1954, “New England Cookbook”.  Several of these recipes were published in the Chicago Tribune in 1947, for a plain cake with a chocolate frosting. 

Most of the available recipes are from the 1930 and 40’s but there is one cited from 1890 in “Walnut Pickles and Watermelon Cake: A Century of Michigan Cooking” (1990). 

Another is from “Stevenson Memorial Cookbook” (1919)

The book I have is dated in the 1920’s.

A Handwritten Cookbook Ledger Book from Oakdale California from the early 1900’s through 1940’s.

Also see my posting in June for Hobo Cake;

https://kitchenrecipetreasures.com/2021/06/23/hobo-bread-1908-through-1960s/

Weary Willies are from the Revolutionary War, they are also called Hobo’s

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/weary-willie-cake.139115/

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/recipes/ct-weary-willie-cake-recipe-20150126-column.html

http://www.theoldfoodie.com/2010/12/hobo-cake.html

Visit my ebay store to find some great kitchen utensils and collectables to go along with these vintage and antique recipes.

https://www.ebay.com/str/ozziesattic720?_trksid=p2047675.l2563