Election Day can feel tense, but in Hartford, Connecticut, it also comes with cake. NPR reported on a centuries-old tradition that one historic site is working to keep alive.
Election cake first appeared in Hartford in 1771, when the region was still one of the 13 original colonies. Nicole Sousa, events and outreach manager at Connecticut's Old State House, told NPR's Morning Edition that Connecticut was an early leader in self-government and one of the few places where people could elect their own officials. Election Day became a celebration with parties, parades and food.
The early cakes were nothing like today's. They were dense, fruitcake-style creations, often soaked in alcohol, and they were huge. Sousa said an 18th-century recipe called for 30 quarts of flour, 10 pounds of butter, 14 pounds of sugar, 12 pounds of raisins, three dozen eggs and more than a quart of wine or brandy. The goal was to feed big crowds of voters. A smaller version appeared in Amelia Simmons' American Cookery, widely seen as the first American cookbook.
The Old State House held its fifth annual Election Cake Bake-Off on Oct. 26. Professional bakers were asked to make a nonpartisan, election-themed cake. Judges scored entries on presentation, creativity and taste.
This year's winner was a mother-daughter team led by Sophia Grestini of a bakery in Cheshire, Connecticut. Their four-layer cake alternated lemon blueberry and spiced sponge. It was decorated in red, white, blue and gold, with an "I voted" pin, a ballot box and an American flag. Fondant figures of a donkey and an elephant sat on the second tier, and a frosting bald eagle stood on top.
The winner will bake the Old State House's birthday cake in 2027. Sousa said the goal is simple: "we're trying to bring that joy back to Election Day."
Sources: NPR