Nov 4

Nov 4 Election Cake

So … Election Cake is … a thing. Who knew!

I stumbled across it while reading America’s first ever cookbook - yes, I am that much of a nerd.

It was written by Amelia Simmons in 1796 - so we are talking George Washington here.

Apparently, it was baked by confectioners to be sold on Election Day as a way to draw voters out.

On one such Election Day in 1841 in Vermont, one bakery offered a pound-size serving of cake with the chance of a ring inside for 50 cents.

Early recipes required alcohol and a range of spices. Win-win.

“Mix two quarts flour, one and a half pounds sugar, one pound butter and lard, one pint home-made yeast, one pint or more new milk, one egg, one wineglass of brandy and wine, two nutmegs, one pound raisins.
”

— Origial Recipe. Don't try this at home.

Ingredients:

A glass of Milk.
A sachet of Yeast.
500g Flour.
100g Butter and 50g Lard.
1 Egg.
100g Brown Sugar.
150ml Single Cream.
Teaspoon of Baking Powder.
Teaspoon each of Cinnamon, ground Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg.
Teaspoon of Salt.
100g Raisins steeped in Damson Gin.
100g Crushed Pecan Nuts.

Method:

In some warm milk, wake up the yeast.
Steep some raisins in some Damson Gin (or red wine, or port or sherry.)
In a bowl add the flour, sugar, egg, cream, baking powder, spices, salt. Mix well.
Crush some pecan nuts.

Add it all together and allow it to sit for an hour for the yeast to do yeasty things. (Don’t try the mix or you will be enslaved for eternity.)

Grease a dish. Put the mix in. It’ll be about an inch deep. Cook for half an hour in a hot oven.

Allow it to rest.

Eat while watching an election. Any election that comes to hand.