h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This week the Daily Mail's 'Weekend' magazine is a special called 'The Blitz Issue' - saluting how people coped with Hitler's bombers 70 years ago. On the same page as Monty Don's column, there is a column entitled, 'V is for Veggie'. This says that the 'Dig for Victory' campaign was so successful that by 1942 the Ministry of Food was forced to offload 100,000 tons of surplus carrots. These were eventally offered to farmers for feeding their livestock. 'The ministry tried to persuade housewives that carrots, along with beetroot and parsnips, were sweet enough to be used in cakes and buns'.

Wonder if this is when carrot cake A457139 was 'invented'

'...She gave them potatoes instead of some bread,
And the children were happy and very well fed.'

That same source, quoted above, says that people were encouraged to eat potatoes twice a day as it saved bread. 'Potato on toast was suggested as a hearty breakfast, followed by mashed potato with cabbage for lunch, and a potato scone at teatime.'

Carrot Cake was probably around since 10th Century. It certainly appears in print in the 1900's.

Lots more about carrots in WW2 in the World Carrot Museum - http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/history4.html