Election Cake
by Eric N Gibson
Contributing Writer
Is Election Cake really cake? To some yes, to others no. The answer is about as clear as a politician´s testimony. It’s all a matter of the technical definition of the word ¨Cake¨.
Today, most people think of cake as a light, airy, pastry confection-like dessert typically made of flour, fat, sugar, a leavening agent such as soda or powder, eggs, and a liquid, with perhaps, cocoa or nuts, fruits, and flavorings tossed in for good measure. However, back in the day, (that day being the late 1700´s to mid-1800’s) cakes were typically made with a natural leavener (yeast) in the form of a sourdough starter called a ¨sponge¨ and to this was combined the ¨new¨ ingredients (eggs, fat, flour, candied or dried fruits, spices, rosewater, etc.) and set out to rise once or twice again before baking in a hot brick hearth oven.
The history of Election Cake is a little fuzzy. Some historians believe it actually goes back further than Presidential Elections, tracing its origins back to when we were governed by The King of England. Some say it was called “Muster Cake” because it was served at Town Muster. Town Muster happened about once a year, usually in early Spring or late Fall, before or after planting or harvest time. Muster was a time when all able bodied men between the ages of 18 and 45 were called to rally with their arms and accouterments at a designated gathering place in their town for the purpose of close order drill. The Muster was an attempt to bring a semblance of order and discipline to what would otherwise be a haphazard gathering of armed farmers and tradesmen in times when the local militia were needed.
After gaining our independence, the call to muster was still a matter of community and often it may have even coincided with election time, causing one to speculate upon the morphing of Muster Cake into Election Cake. And, ever wonder why elections happen in March and November? Our agrarian roots, the planting and harvest seasons, have a lot to do with much of the timing of our traditions and culture; local and national elections are just one of the many examples of this.
Back in the day, musters and elections took on a jovial, festive, celebratory atmosphere of near riotous proportions. It was a time when people flocked to town centers and big cities. Often these folks, needing a place to stay, resided with family and friends or paid for lodging space overnight (or several nights) as the politics, festivities, and or the militia training took place. During this time every homemaker worth her salt served a fine array of foods from the family larder. It was a time before women voted and many modern writers have pontificated upon the influence of women on the politics of the day through the use of their charm and their talent for providing fine hospitality. This was a time for taking out all the stops: fruits, cheese, breads, entrees, sides, grog, punches, ciders, foods of all description, and of course desserts; all served in plenty and late into the night.
Some consider Election Cake a fruit cake because of the recipes calling for three or four types of fruit and as many types of alcohol to create a dense moist “cake” with a long shelf life. Other recipes call for some fruits and nut meats but only a bit, if any, alcohol to either mix into the batter or soak the fruit in, yielding a lighter “cake” bread. I found three different recipes from three different books, none of which require alcohol as an ingredient, while recipes found on the internet did. Two of the three book recipes used raisins and or currents and nut meats (walnuts or pecans), while most internet recipes required candied lemon peel, citron, and even candied cherries or dried apples (more reminiscent of a fruit cake). All the recipes encountered used both a yeast ¨sponge¨ and spices common to the period. So it is easy to see why opinions vary on the subject. Election Cake is truly as controversial as politics. Who would have thought?
My first attempt at Election Cake was about like most of the elections witnessed over my lifetime; a mix of fruits and nuts with the final candidate falling far short of expectations. Not quite sure where things went wrong but these loaves looked like somewhere enroute to victory they were kicked by a mule and sat on by an elephant. Upon taking them from the oven they quickly deflated to half their height. Removing them from the pans only hastened a total let down. Yep! Sounds like politics!
My second attempt was much better. I backed off on the booze and rather than mess with yeast again, I used Baking Powder and Baking Soda for leavening, and adapted a quick bread recipe. The flavor is old school; the combination of raisins, spices, apple, and pecan with a hint of lemon all point toward fruit cake or mince meat. And, unlike most of the elections of the last 30 years, using a recipe for success, I was rewarded with a much better candidate for Election Cake.
Election Cake was often served to those voting a “Straight Party’ ticket, or as a reward to those taking part in the election process. But, whether served in celebration or conciliation, Election Cake, like the election process, was started well in advance of the day to be served and it brought people together from all walks of life to enjoy what would be considered anything but, a Simple Feast. Enjoy!
