Light Birthday Cake

4 ozs. S.R. flour.
4 ozs. plain flour.
6 ozs. butter or margarine.
6 ozs. sugar.
1 lb. mixed fruit.
2 ozs. almonds.
1/2 cup warm milk.
1/2 cup treacle.
3 eggs.
1 tablespoon brandy (if liked).

Method: Cream butter and sugar, add treacle, beat in eggs one at a time, then add fruit and flour with pinch salt, and mix alternately with milk. Lastly add brandy. Bake in moderate oven in 8" square or equivalent tin, lined with buttered paper. Gas 320 degrees in middle of oven 1&3/4 to 2 hours. Let cool in tin.

Source: contributed by Mrs. R. Duffner in The Walford Recipe Book. Compiled by the Parent-Teacher Association of the Walford Church of England Girls' School. (Adelaide: Messenger Press; October 1966), p.43.

Old Time Ginger Cake

2&1/2 cups plain flour, 1 cup butter, 1 cup treacle, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup (scant) hot water, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1&1/2 teaspoons spice, 2 level teaspoons bicarb. soda dissolved in the water (1 cup sultanas may be added if liked).

Method: Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add well-beaten eggs, then treacle, soda, and water, lastly sifted flour, ginger, and spice. Bake in a flat dish for 40 minutes at 350 deg. to begin, lowering to 320 deg.

Source: contributed by Mrs. V. A. Robinson (Mannararie) in The South Australian Country Women's Association Calendar of Cakes: A Cake a Day for 365 Days (Kent Town: S.A.C.WA.; 11th edition, 1973), 'June 8'.

London Candy

1 pint treacle or golden syrup

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Grated rind and juice of half a lemon

Method: Butter the sides and bottom of an enamelled saucepan, pour in the treacle, add the other ingredients, and boil gently, stirring all the time. In 10 minutes drop a little on a buttered plate. If it hardens pour the remainder out at once on to previously buttered plates. When it is slightly cool rub the hands with butter, cut thin strips of it, and draw it out, then twist lightly and continue to work in this way until it hardens and becomes a light golden colour.

Source: A Cooks' Tour of Recipes. Published for the Adelaide University S.R.C. [Students' Representative Council]. (Adelaide: Commercial Publications of South Australia, 1955), p.89.

Minnie's Grandma's Gingerbread

8 oz butter

5 oz sugar

6 oz treacle

8 oz SR flour

1 egg

2 tabspn ground ginger

Method: Melt butter to oil, add sugar and treacle. Mix together until there is no "free oil" floating in it. Add ginger and flour sifted together. Mix well and add beaten egg. Line a lamington tin, 8" x 12". Put half almonds on top so that when cut a piece will be on each section. Bake in a moderate oven 40-45 mins.

Source: contributed by Mollie Ogden in The Embroiderers' Recipe Book. Compiled by members of The Embroiderers' Guild of South Australia Incorporated ([Adelaide], n.d.), p.47.

Coffee Cake (1)

2 cups sugar, 1 cup margarine or substitute, 1 cup treacle or golden syrup, 1 egg, 1 cup strong cold coffee (liquid or instant coffee may be used), 2 tsp carb. soda, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup raisins, 5 cups plain flour (or 4 cups plain flour and 1 cup SR flour), pinch ground cloves.

Method: Cream butter and sugar, add treacle, then the egg and beat well. Add carb. soda to cold coffee and then add to mixture. Sift spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. with flour and add. Lastly add raisins. Bake 350F for approx. 1-1.1/4 hours. This sometimes bakes rather unevenly but is a good standby at shearing time.

Source: contributed by P. Harvie in Booleroo Centre Primary School 1885-1985 Centenary Recipe Book (Revised edition 1985 of 1970 edition), p.77.

Quick Pudding

Sift together 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and a pinch of salt. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup raisins and 1/2 cup milk. Combine and put into a greased pie dish. Mix 2 tablespoons treacle, 2 cups boiling water and 1 tablespoon butter. Pour this sauce over the batter and bake in a moderate oven about 1/2 hour. As the batter rises, the sauce drops into it and moistens the batter.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.119.

War-time Plum Pudding

Half oz. flour, 6 ozs raisins, 6 ozs currants, 4 ozs suet, 4 ozs brown sugar, 4 ozs mashed carrot, 4 ozs mashed potatoes, 1 tablespoon treacle, 1 oz. lemon peel, 1 oz. citron peel. Boil as usual for a pudding of this size.

Source: contributed by Mrs. J. S. Pearce, Kapunda in The Barossa Cookery Book: 1000 Selected Recipes from a District Celebrated Throughout Australia for the Excellence of its Cookery. Every Recipe of Proved Merit and Signed as such by the Donors (33rd edition, 2006), p.42.

Pickled Vegetables: Figs

Soak as many figs as you can cover with 4.8 litres vinegar for three days, then pour off the vinegar and add to it 1 kg sugar or treacle, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 125 grams salt, 60 grams each of allspice, ground cloves and ground ginger and boil for 1/4 hour. Pour over the figs while boiling and cover jars.

Source: The South Australian Country Women's Association Incorporated Presents Ways with Fruit and Vegetables (1st edn, 1977), p.15.