Authentic Water Cake

[donna]

Milhassous d'Égletons
Varaine [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Water Cakes were made for soldiers and by civilians during Civil War years. This recipe is from "Godey's Ladies Book", 1862.

Two eggs beaten very lightly, one pint of cold water, one teaspoonful of salt, flour to make it as thick as fritters, bake half an hour in a hot oven; eat with butter; bake in little tins filled full.

 

[nitrofd]

View attachment 160101

Water Cakes were made for soldiers and by civilians during Civil War years. This recipe is from "Godey's Ladies Book", 1862.

Two eggs beaten very lightly, one pint of cold water, one teaspoonful of salt, flour to make it as thick as fritters, bake half an hour in a hot oven; eat with butter; bake in little tins filled full.

Looks and sounds like a pancake to me.

 

[jgoodguy]

Looks and sounds like a pancake to me.

Pancakes, IMHO have more to them. Oil/butter and milk instead of water.

 

[jgoodguy]

Union version of Johnnycake IMHO

 

[mofederal]

They don't sound too bad. Still a lot like pancake, only lots smaller. you could eat them today like a pancake. Just add the sugar.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

@donna, great recipe !

I've never heard of "water cakes", but I agree this recipe sounds like an oven baked "pancake'.

I'm sure it's delicious, but give me the same ingredients along with some lard . . . a cast iron skillet . . . some fresh sweet butter along with blackstrap molasses . . . and some bacon.

I think many would enjoy my breakfast !

Along with some Community Coffee.

 

[Jackson'sArm]

war is hell

 

[connecticut yankee]

war is hell

War is Hell---but breakfast is delicious!

 

[donna]

I can imagine this was a tasty dish for the soldiers. They were hungry and weary and this filled them up.

 

[Tennessee_Mountainman]

Looks and sounds yummy, thank you @donna !

 

[JOHN42768]

When you existed on hardtack, beans and anything else you could scrounge , I imagine they would a be welcome bite to eat

 

[MRB1863]

Surprised they never opened a "International House of Water Cakes"....