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March 7, 2014

Serve up a slice of scrumptious 1950s Spice-Berry Cake

"Welcome as the first spring crocus, this cake with the delicate air, is different, delectable, designed for spring menus". So begins the write up for this wonderfully easy, equally tasty 1950s classic spice-berry layer cake, and what an apt description is it. Though we're technically a couple of week's shy of spring's official return, milder weather is started to crop up again for some and will continue to do so for those in the Northern Hemisphere from here on out.

As the icy shackles of winter fall away, one's thoughts come dessert time turn to lighter fair. It may be a touch too soon to dust off the ice cream maker, live on feather light meringues, or opt for chilled fruit salad over everything else, but by the same token, we're beginning to feel like we've had our fill of rich, heavy custards, thick slices of pies, and dense pastries.

Something in between the two - fragrant and satisfying, but not quite a meal unto itself - is called for, and having heard that plea, this terrific cake comes a calling.



{Hailing from the fine folks at A&P (a US chain of supermarkets), this lovely, straightforward, endlessly inviting Spice-Berry Layer Cake is just what our menus need these days, as we leap from the depth of winter into the pleasing warmth of spring's embrace - and menu - once again. Image source.}




This is the kind of cake that does wonders both for causal weeknight desserts and on more formal occasions, such as Easter, May 1st, Mother's Day, wedding or baby showers, or if you're hosting a springtime dinner party - not mention it's natural use as a birthday sweet treat, too.

With its flavourful mixtures of spices, raisins (which you could easily leave out, if you're not a fan), and jam, this is the kind of cake that one feels a touch of the old-fashioned in, so to speak, when you bite into. Most spice cakes (and muffins and cookies) have always held that quality for me. They're homey, inviting, timeless and just as pleasing to the palette as one could ever hope for.

Spring, full on spring, that is, will be here soon enough. For now though, let's give this often overlooked period between winter and spring (which, admittedly, is rarely as gorgeous, romantic or appealing as the sublime days between autumn and fall) a hearty hello care of our kitchens and this great 1950s dessert, as well as others like it that aren't inseparably tied to the either the season we're leaving behind nor the one we're cheerfully hopping into this month.

26 comments:

  1. Jam cake recipes are always welcome at my house, as I always have a few stray jars from the previous year's canning. Blackberry makes a good spice cake as well.

    I miss A&P. *Sniff, sob* That was the best grocery chain.

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  2. Sounds good! I don't think winter is going to give up down here in Southtown! Snow again today. Looking forward to spring!

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  3. It's surprising how often your vintage food posts capture treasured memories from my childhood. My mom followed all the current trends in mass consumerism, so my brother and I were guinea pigs for these dishes. Nice to remember those days. There are so many enjoyable aspects of your blog -- and they keep multiplying. Thanks!

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    1. It's wonderful to know that my recipe posts, and others at times, help jog lovely childhood memories for you. My mom and both of my grandmas cooked and baked many classic mid-century dishes (such as hamburger pie, 7-minute frosting topped cakes, pineapple upside down cake, ambrosia, Waldorf salad, etc) when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, so these posts often elicit similar feelings in me as well.

      Have a fantastic weekend,
      ♥ Jessica

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  4. yummy sounds great. I can`t wait until it's time for fresh strawberrys :)
    xo Fräulein K.

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  5. Oh, to be out West right now to enjoy a little Spring-like weather! *lol* Granted, 3 degrees Celcius today and tomorrow - we're being spoiled! The recipe looks delish - will have to try out a gluten-free version (if I can find a decent flour, that is) :) Thanks mucho for posting!

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  6. This looks so yummy! I have been thinking about picking up my baking which has been kept to the side due to other interests taking more space and this recipe might just be what I have been waiting for. If I bake it I will definitely let you know, and also, thank you so much for all your wonderful and lovely comments on my blog! They each made my days in different ways!

    XX,

    Simona

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  7. oh my god that sounds so delicious! i have such a sweet tooth i could eat cake every day ^^
    love and kiss,mary

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  8. Oh! Spice and berries!!! My favorite combination. What a nice festival cake for the spring holidays (Easter or Ostara). We're still in a sort of cold snap and are at least 10-20 degrees colder than average for early March. HOWEVER, my snowdrops have pushed up through the remaining snow and have lovely buds that are getting ready to bloom. sigh ... I love this time of year.

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  9. This sounds so good—and looks so perfect with those strawberries! Soon, soon...In fact, the hyacinth and crocus are finally beginning to poke through the soil. More excitingly, Ben and I stumbled across a blooming *pansy* in the yard this afternoon; she's clearly an outlier and was half-buried beneath some leaves, but she's a flower all the same. It won't be long now!

    This cake might be pretty with a colour-swirl frosting, too, perhaps yellow with white or soft pink. The springier the better!

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    1. How marvelous that the first signs of the season have begun to emerge in your area, dear Jen. Interestingly, last month before the onslaught of snow we got hit with, some local pussy willows appeared here, but they quickly perished when the epic snowfall began (and didn't let up, for all intents, for nearly three weeks). We had some sun here yesterday for the first time in quite a while and that was certainly marvelous! I hope it's a sign that maybe, just make (fingers crossed), winter is winding down at last.

      Love your frosting idea, that would look beautiful and very springtime-y here for sure.

      Have a fantastic weekend!
      ♥ Jessica

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  10. Oh, yum! I do love a 'spicy' cinnamon cake. Perfect for autumn too!

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    1. Very much so! I adore spice cakes (and cookies, breads and muffins - basically any spiced baked good come to think of it! :)) and could gleefully eat a slice of one the whole year round.

      Have a terrific weekend, sweet Teresa!
      ♥ Jessica

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  11. This cake looks tremendously delicious! I had strawberries a couple of days before and although is a little too early for them, they tasted so well. I love cakes with strawberries, also with jam. So this cake is on the list on the kitchen board!

    Many hugs,
    Miss Beta

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    1. Though not grown locally, we've had the first strawberries of the season start arriving at the greengrocers here as well and they were surprisingly sweet. I've been adding them liberally to salads or eating them on their own all week and am so happy that the start berry season is upon us again.

      Happy baking, dear gal!
      ♥ Jessica

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  12. that looks very good! Bye the way I agree with you about 50s diets being in some ways healthier. I bet there was no genetic modification going on with food back then

    retro rover

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  13. The strawberries and spice combination sounds really interesting! I love this post, having grown up with the A & P. There are very few left here. Occasionally we'll come across one in a small, rural community and when the store's architecture has remained unchanged (i.e., red brick with a cupola), it's a real treasure. A&P was a prolific advertiser mainly prior to and in the early 50s, and almost always published full recipes in their ads. As you know, they also published Woman's Day and Family Circle magazines and they used to be free in the stores. Thanks for the sweet memories today! Have a happy weekend! This post makes me want to bake.

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  14. Jessica: I just love your website! I read the Spicy Cake receipe last night & dreamt about it! Along with all the other cakes my grandmother use to bake. Now I will try that to bake that cake! I appreciate when you mention other websites that are similar to yours. But I have to say you are the one and only, love your outfits, the receipes, the cute vintage advertisements, everything!! Keep up the good work!
    Christine in Tucson

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  15. Yum! Jam and spices sure take it up a notch from one's typical vanilla cake!

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  16. That cake looks delicious! Only problem is this is the time of year I realize I can't hide in big sweaters for much longer and stop eating treats. It's one I'd like to try later in the spring though. Maybe when I'm having friends over so I'm not tempted to eat it all. ;)

    I love Family Circle magazine and it has A&P roots. The vintage ones are the best! No A&P's around here any more but there's a locally owned grocery that bought the A&P building when they left town. The store is way better than any of the national chains we have.

    Have a nice Sunday night, what's left of it!

    Sarah

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  17. ah yes! time for fruit-y cakes!
    yesterday afternoon we sat at the garden, sipping coffee and eating some fluffy cake with peaches and cream. from the bakery - i have sooo much work to do in the green department :-)
    <3

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  18. I cannot wait for the warmer weather, and getting to eat outdoors. I'd love to try this cake and enjoy it with a nice cup of tea in my garden :-)

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  19. sounds great ... hopefully i can try this recipe soon.

    ...just read in a comment of yours over at atomic redhead, that your family goes back to the klondike goldrush?! wow, sounds so intresting ...
    i just know the klondike from the goldrush tv show ...

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    1. Hi sweet dear, thank you very much for your lovely comment. Yes indeed, one of my paternal great-grandfathers, Charles Burkhard (who you can read more about in this post http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2010/04/spending-sunday-with-my-great.html and also this one http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2011/10/on-this-very-special-day-in-1930.html) came up from the US (the only member of his family to do so) to the Klondike during the early days of the gold rush and while he didn't strike it rich, he loved the area so much that unlike most who hightailed it out of there when the bulk of the gold (that they could find/extract at the time) was tapped out, he stayed on, making Dawson City his home until his death in 1945. While there, he married my French Canadian great-grandmother, Marie Lefebvre, and had nine children, the youngest of which is my maternal grandmother. Some of Charles and Marie's decendants, including my first cousin once removed, Sylvia Burkhard who has very kindly given me family heirloom vintage clothing such as the red 1940s dress I wore in my outfit post last week, still live in the beautiful, icy, northerly world that is the Yukon to this day. It's my sincere dream, and one of my life goals, to visit there some day myself, as I have always felt a very powerful pull to the Yukon because of my family ties, and incredible history at work, there.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  20. Ohh, looks lovely. I will save it for later use. Right now I need to loose about 7 pounds, ough! ;)

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  21. Oh, this looks scrumptious!!! Instead of a slice, I'll take the cake instead. :-P

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