1930s Orange Cake is the bee's knees!

✯ Day 285 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

It's by no means a secret to say the 1930s were a challenging decade - indeed, they were one of the hardest in recent human history. Yet, even in the face of immense hardship, the decade was able to produce many wonderful, endearing recipes.

Likewise, it also gave up scores of incredible people, including my maternal grandma, Bernice, who was born on October 14, 1930. With her birthday just around the corner this Friday, I knew that today's recipe post simply had to feature a cake.

Much like many aspects of the thirties themselves, I wouldn't call my grandma flashy. Far from simple, but in no way chichi either, she's a woman of dignified class and charm, beauty and spirit who's taught me much over the years.

My grandma's never been the most girly-girl of gals, instead her style is refined and classic, elegant and unfussy. Thus a bells-and-whistles sort of birthday cake piled with mountains of frosting or multi-coloured embellishments just wouldn't seem right for her special day.

Instead, if I was able to celebrate her birthday this week with her in person (we live on opposite sides of the country, so unfortunately that's not possible this year), I would make her the delicious (not to mention entirely au courant) sounding Layered Orange Cake pictured below.

{Fresh, sweet, and wonderfully suited to an array of occasions, this delightful 1930s orange cake is sure to go down a treat (to borrow a term from the Brits) at your next event. Image via Daily Bungalow on Flickr. Click here for a larger version of this delicious vintage cake recipe.}

 

True to the thrifty spirit of the 30s, this cake calls for a minimum of ingredients, most (if not all) of which any one of us would have on hand right this very moment.

While not ornate, there's nothing boring or plain Jane about this lovely citrus dessert. You could proudly bring it out all year long, for anniversaries, showers, bake sales, dinner parties, holidays, and of course, birthdays, too!

It’s an endearing gem of a recipe that’s every bit as sweet and timeless as my grandma herself.