Recipe Box- Recipe #1

FRUIT COCKTAIL CAKE

1 ½ C Sugar

1 #303 Can Fruit Cocktail

2 Eggs

1 t salt

2 C flour

2 t soda

½ cup coconut

¼ cup brown sugar

Mix the sugar, fruit, eggs, salt, flour and soda.  Then pour into a greased 12” oblong pan.  Top cake with the coconut and brown sugar.  Bake in 300 degree oven for …”until firm and golden brown” (I’m timing it). Do not remove from pan.  Allow it to cool before applying icing.

½ cup canned milk

¾ cup sugar

½ cup margarine (I used butter)

½ cup coconut

1 t vanilla

Spread over cake and enjoy!

This cake was very easy to make.  All the ingredients were mixed in a single mixing bowl and it only took about 5 minutes to mix it all together. I was concerned about the amount of sugar that is in this cake as well as, in the icing.  I was also very curious about the mention of #303 can fruit cocktail.  

I don’t really ever eat fruit cocktail and I think it is very much gone out of style due to the push to eat fresh fruit and vegetables.  I searched the supermarket shelves and didn't find anything labeled #303.  So…I decided, as cake was baking, to do a little more research on this…..

As it turns out, some older recipes call for can sizes such as a #1 or a #303 can and this actually pertains to the size of the can!  I found a chart which explains everything:

Can Size Approximations
Can Size Number	Approximate Volume of Food	Approximate Weight of Food
No. 1 picnic	1 1/4 cups	10 1/2 to 12 ounces
No. 300	1 3/4 cups	14 to 16 ounces
No. 303	2 cups	16 to 17 ounces
No. 2	2 1/2 cups	20 ounces
No. 2 1/2	3 1/2 cups	27 to 29 ounces
No. 3	5 3/4 cups	51 ounces
No. 10	3 quarts	6 1/2 pounds to 7 pounds and 5 ounces

So, the #303 can is actually a 16-17 ounce can.  Unfortunately, I should have done my research BEFORE I bought the 14.5 ounce can.  So, the cake might be a little dry because of this.  Her recipe also didn’t say to include the liquid with the canned fruit but I took a chance and added it anyway.  Also, my husband (a.k.a. guinea pig eh hm..recipe reviewer and critic) doesn't like coconut so I only put that on ½ the cake and I will leave it out of the icing on his side of the cake!

Okay, it’s been 30 minutes and the cake still isn’t done.  I thought that baking it at 300 degrees seemed too low and I actually thought about bumping oven up to 350, but then figured that I want to stay as true as I can to the actual recipe.  Maybe this is a lesson in just to slow down and not be in such a big hurry (like we all are guilty of nowadays).

The cake took about 45 minutes to bake (done when you have a clean knife after cutting into cake).

So...how was it, you ask?  Well, I didn't taste the fruit at all...sugar, sugar and more sugar.  Actually, I loved the icing because it tasted like butter!  My husband and I discussed adding more fruit but he didn't think it would make a difference.  He also said it was too sweet (and he is someone who loves his sweets!).

I wonder if there is a way to update this recipe to today's standards?  Because it was so easy to make! Here is the final product...