Cottage Pudding Cake

Cottage Pudding Cake April 1, 2025. Many delicious and beloved recipes have been created throughout our history although equally as many have been forgotten. Thankfully, there are resources to rediscover some of these old gems in the annals of time. When I read the old black and white cookbooks and see the simplicity of the dishes prepared in the pre industrialization era a nostalgic longing starts bubbling up. There is a beauty in the simply prepared things that don’t require many special ingredients. Simple dishes are often easier on our stomachs, schedule, and budget. Additionally, they often look and taste better.

Recently, I have been reading a bit about Fannie Farmer and her contribution to cooking in the early 20th century. Fannie studied domestic science, which was quite popular in this period, but it was not your average home economics class. A woman who went to study domestic science in this era got an education in the current scientific principles and their application in the home. Far from being merely a sewing and cooking course, domestic science taught about many things including nutrition, sanitation, chemistry, design, bookkeeping and much more, and Fannie was one of the many women who received such an education, and she would go on to use these skills to write the first cookbook with precise measurements- a first in the domestic world. Farmer’s contribution to the world was quite a boon. Her cookbook quickly became very popular and is still available today.

Cottage Pudding Cake

It was only recently that I first saw Fannie’s vintage recipe for cottage pudding cake. Of course, I couldn’t pass by a recipe with a name like that especially when it uses only basic pantry ingredients. Traditionally, cottage pudding cake is served with a sauce or sweetened crushed fruit. I decided to try Fannie’s lemon sauce as Spring is on the way and it is delicious! This is a soft, dense, yet moist cake that is delicious when served warm from the oven. You can try other sauces, but I used the lemon. I found two versions by Fannie for this sweet treat. They are available for free here (page 481) and here (page 331). Below’s recipe is the first one listed (481).