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A period dish

Election Cake

A rich, spiced yeast cake made for the town meetings and election days of colonial New England.

Serves 12

Election cake was baked for the annual election of colonial officials, when the whole town gathered and the taverns served cake and drink. It was a sweetened, fruit-flecked yeast bread, made in large loaves.

Ingredients

Dairy & Eggs

  • 1 cup butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk

Pantry / Durable

  • 4 cup flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 oz yeast
  • 1 cup raisins

Spices & Seasoning

  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Method

  1. Warm the milk and dissolve the yeast in it with a spoonful of the sugar.

  2. Cream the butter and remaining sugar, then beat in the eggs.

  3. Combine the yeast mixture with the butter mixture and work in the flour.

  4. Knead in the raisins and spices and let the dough rise until doubled.

  5. Shape into loaves, prove again, and bake until dark and fragrant.

Adapted from American Cookery. View a published recipe at NYT Cooking (opens in a new tab)

Served at

Publius at table · New York, New York

The farewell dinner · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania