Cakes for Australia Day

Today is Australia Day, so I give you a selection of cake recipes from a lovely little charity cookbook compiled by the Women’s Auxiliary for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The book is undated but looks to be from the late 60’s, or perhaps 70's.

Early Settler’s Birthday Cake.
Cream 2 cups dripping with 2 cups sugar. Add 1 emu egg, beating well. Flavour with vanilla.
Sift two teaspoons soda and 4 teaspoons cream of tartar with 6 cups flour. Add this a little at a time alternately with 2 cups milk. Add 2 cups currants.
Bake in 3 large tins in moderate oven.

Butterscotch Cake.
2 cups S.R. flour, pinch salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup shortening, 2 eggs, ½ cup strong, cold coffee (1 tablespoon coffee essence in half cup cold water) ¼ cup milk.
Combine milk and coffee, sift flour and salt, cream butter and sugar, add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add essence, then flour alternately with liquid and beat batter until smooth.
Bake in 8 inch pans in moderate oven 25-30 minutes.

Mission Loaf.
Put in saucepan and bring to the boil – 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup stoned dates, 1 tablespoon full walnuts, 1 teaspooon carb soda, 1 cup boiling water, ¾ cup sugar.
Allow to cool and add – 1 egg well beaten, 1 cup S.R. flour, ½ cup plain flour, 1 tablespoon cocoa.
Bake 2 minutes.