A question of how far...

How far would one go in the search of the frugal alternative?  For thrift's sake?

We decided this week that a particular ginger cake recipe was probably a step too far, in these times, but that if we had lived in wartime, and were hungry, it would be acceptable.  Situations change, and what we would accept in one situation might be different, I think.

I found a recipe for a wartime ginger cake in the Wartime Farm book, and I saw that the same recipe also appears in the Good Food magazine this month.  Their home economist remarks that it is a little dry and would be better eaten with custard.

Anyway, the thing with this cake is the peculiarity of the ingredients.  Simply flour, golden syrup, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, and tepid water.  That's it.  No eggs, no fat of any kind.  

It bakes ok and comes out looking like a traybake should.  The instructions say to wrap it and store it in a tin for at least two days.  I made it Wednesday evening, and it was sampled on Friday evening, so that would be about right.

Chief taster, YFG, said, "It's a bit chewy," but ate it!  The square has been reduced in the tin so someone has had some more, and the FH is getting some for pudding tonight with some of the recommended custard.  But I have a tremendous recipe from elsewhere for ginger cake, so I will be sticking to that one in the foreseeable future.

Sometimes we just have to try these things, don't we?!