Election Cake: A Touch of American Culinary History

Tomorrow’s election day.   Of course, you know that already. And I’ll be happy to cast my vote for Obama at the polls and follow up that exercise in both civil duty and right with a slice–literally–of American culinary history.   We’re celebrating with Election Cake, a spiced yeast cake dotted with jewels of dried fruit.

Damn. Bad lighting again. Our Election Cake served with butter.

Election cake dates back from 18th century America, though some historians believe it dates back a century further.   Spiced yeast cakes, like Election Cake, were popular in both Great Britain and the American colonies during then 17th and 18th centuries.

Originally called Muster Cake, Election Cake was prepared in 18th century colonial townships when men from neighboring and rural farms were called to military training also known as “mustering.”   The towns needed to provide the men with shelter and food, and Muster Cake was born.

After the American Revolution, mustering for the British army was no longer necessary, but a new tradition was born.   Rural men were still required to travel to towns to participate in the electoral process so the new tradition overtook the old one in a seamless fashion.   The towns still need to provide festivities, food and shelter, and the old Muster Cake was renamed Election Cake.

By the middle of the 19th century, the culture changed a bit and while Election Cakes were still served on election day, they were only served to those who voted a straight ticket.   Eventually, the festivities of Election Day and Election Cake fell by the wayside.

Women took great pride in their cakes, and could be paid significant somes of money for baking the spiced cakes that often weighed over ten pounds each.   Cakes varied in ingredients.   Some included wine or brandy while others included molasses, yet the inclusion of spice and dried fruit remained a constant.

Amelia Simmons in her 1796 cook book recorded a recipe for Election Cake that required the flour to be soaked overnight which enhances both its digestibility and the bioavailability of its nutrients.

Thirty quarts of flour, 10 pound butter, 14 pound sugar, 12 pound raisins, 3 doz eggs, one pint wine, one quart brandy, 4 ounces cinnamon, 4 ounces fine colander seed, 3 ounces ground alspice; wet flour with milk to the consistence of bread over night, adding one quart yeast; the next morning work the butter and sugar together for half an hour, which will render the cake much lighter and whiter; when it has rise light work in every other ingredient except the plumbs, which work in when going into the oven.

My 3-year old Mixing the Election Cake

In my recipe, I use spelt flour soaked in buttermilk and worked together with sucanat, molasses, spices and fruit. It’s a tender cake, slightly sweet and yeasty. Election Cake, like other historical foods, deserves a little recognition even if it comes only once a year.

Happy Election Day!   Take joy in exercising your civic duty.