Liberation DayCelebration Condensed Milk Cake. As I am researching this post for recipes for my Liberation Day / VE 75 High Tea, we are currently in lockdown from the Covid-19 virus. It is not a particularly onerous hardship.* With access to mobile phones, online movies, and the ability to buy anything on the internet and have it delivered to your doorstep. In the run-up to celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of Liberation Day, I wanted to point out just what was available to a far less fortunate generation. Liberation Day is celebrated one day after VE-day. The British government could not spare the troops required to free the heavily fortified Channel Islands. So, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Herm were not liberated until after the D-day landings.
before Liberation Day
Rationing
In the UK some food was rationed from 1940. By 1942 everyone carried a ration card and there were limits on much of what you could eat. A weekly ration included the following; Bacon & Ham – 4 oz, Butter – 2 oz, Cooking fat – 4oz, Cheese – 2 oz, Margarine – 4 oz, Milk – 3 pints, Sugar – 8 oz, Jam, and preserves – 1 lb every two months, Tea – 2oz, 1 fresh egg plus an allowance of dried egg and 12 oz of sweets every two months.
As a chef, I’m humbled by the fact I can now throw two ounces of butter in a pan to fry some fish or as the base for a sauce. Everyone was encouraged to dig up their front lawns and grow vegetables to supplement their diets. If you lived in the country you might be lucky to shot a rabbit to go in a stew. A tin of salmon was an almost unheard of luxury. I now know why my Grandma always opened a tin for Sunday tea.
Liberation Day Celebration Condensed Milk Cake
During the war, the Ministry of Food was in charge of the nation’s food supply. The resulting diet has been proved to be the healthiest in the nation’s history with low sugar, fat, and red meat. The Ministry controlled food supply and prices. It provided the countries housewives and cooks with recipes such as Condensed Milk Cake.
Condensed milk was a popular ingredient used as a substitute for sugar and milk and even (?) drank in tea. I have cheated slightly in this recipe and used fresh eggs and butter. The original would have been made with powdered egg and margarine and horror upon horrors thrown in a handful of glace cherries but we are celebrating. Enjoy and Happy Liberation Day Channel Island.
*If you can get flour! There are a few problems with lock down.
Liberation Day Celebration Condensed Milk Cake
Equipment
- 15 cm cake tin
- Greaseproof baking paper
Ingredients
- 75 gram unsalted Jersey Butter
- 225 gram Self-Raising Flour
- 6 tablespoons Condensed Milk made up to 150ml with water use the the rest on fresh strawberries
- 2 fresh free-range Eggs
- A handful Raisins
- A handful Glace Cherries cut in half
- 3 tablespoons Marmalade
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C / 350F / Gas mark 4.
- Butter and line a 15 cm cake tin with greaseproof paper or baking parchment.
- Gently heat the condensed milk, water and marmalade and stir until the marmalade is dissolved. Allow to thoroughly cool.
- In a large bowl rub the butter and flour together to make a crumbly mix.
- In a jug beat the eggs. Then beat the eggs, condensed milk mix and flour and butter together to form a smooth batter.
- Stir in the dried fruit and pour into lined cake tin.
- Place in the centre of the oven and bake for fifty minutes. A small sharp knife carefully inserted into the cake will come out clean. If not cooked return to the oven for another five to ten minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack and serve in slices when cold. As an indulgence spread with fresh Jersey butter.
