Pittsburg Pennsylvania 1900’s – 1930’s

From Pittsburgh Pennsylvania from the 1900’s through the 30’s, a cook book owned by Myrtle A. Byrd. 

Sugarless Cake for Independence Day

2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour

2 ¼ teaspoons quick acting baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter or shortening

1 cup light corn syrup

2 eggs, unbeaten.

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon almond extract.

1 recipe prepared chocolate pudding.

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, and sifted together three times.  Cream shortening; add syrup gradually, beating well after each addition.  Add ¼ of flour and beat until smooth and well blended.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  For best results, beat cake very well at each stage of mixing.  Add flavoring.  Bake in two greased 8-inch layer pans in moderate oven (375degrees F) 30 minutes or until done.  Cool.  Prepare chocolate pudding as directed on package, reducing milk to 1 2/3 cups.  Cool.  Split layers in halves.  Spread pudding between layers, arranging a cut surface against a baked surface to avoid slipping of layers. 

This is from a cookbook from around 1900’s through the 50’s.  Lots of newspaper cut outs and handwritten recipes.

Oxford Mich 1908 – 1960s

July 4th

Betsy Ross Date Pinwheels

1 c. chopped, pitted dates

½ c. sugar

½ c. water

½ c. chopped, nuts

½ c. shortening

1 c. brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg beaten

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ soda

Cook first 3 ingredients slowly over low heat until thick, about 10 minutes.  Stir frequently to prevent sticking.  Add nutmeats and cool. 

Cream shortening, brown sugar & vanilla until fluffy.  Blend in egg.  Sift flour, measure & sift again with salt and soda.  Add to creamed mixture, making a stiff dough.  Turn on well-floured board, divided in half & roll each piece into an oblong about 1/8 “ thick (if too soft for handling – chill before rolling.)  Spread dough with date mixture & roll each piece as for jelly roll. 

Wrap dough in waxed paper & chill until firm.  Cut with sharp knife about 1/8” thick.  Bake on greased cookie sheet in moderate hot oven 375degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.  Allow cookies to stand on baking sheet a minute or two before removing. 

“ = inch; ¼ soda I think is ¼ teaspoon.

I got these from Carmichael California, but the location places in the notebook, several say Oxford Michigan (Mildred Sternberg, 1940 Died 1972, recipe is for a Lemon Sherbet), from a set of handwritten books with the dates starting in 1908 and going through the 1960’s. 

This nice set of loose papers and two handwritten books has some very interesting family history in the older spiral notebook; she has listed recipes and the names of the contributing person as well as the date and their age when they passed away.   I will add these statistics as I go through the books.

Here is the list of family names, dates and recipes associated with each person. 

https://kitchenrecipetreasures.com/2021/06/27/oxford-michigan-books-dated-from-1908-through-the-1960s-family-names/

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