As fall approaches, the return of autumnal flavors looms large, including that of apples used to craft pies and apple cider donuts. However, early in the history of the United States, apple cider was used to bake a beloved treat: cider cake.
Apple trees have existed in North America since the 16th century, and the fruit was a staple in the households of settlers. Pilgrims who came to Massachusetts from England in the 1620s brought seedlings with them to plant near their new homes. Orchards continued to crop up (thanks in part to Johnny Appleseed’s planting of thousands of trees), and apples became increasingly ingrained in American culture.
At the time, the fruit was eaten fresh, dried, and preserved, but was most commonly turned into cider. In the 1700s and 1800s, cider was more popular than water (even children drank it) because its alcohol content killed diseases like typhoid and cholera . Imports from overseas were expensive, so cider replaced brandy and wine in many recipes. One such recipe was cider cake, an early version of which appears in a cookbook by Louisa Macculloch from the 1800s. Making cider cake required flour, sugar, eggs, butter, pearlash (a leavening agent derived from wood ash and what we really used before baking powder), and cider. The result was a pound cake-like dessert that could be sprinkled with powdered sugar or served with ice cream. Other additions to cider cake included brown sugar or spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
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Cider Cake Ebbs And Flows With History
Cider bundt cake on tray with glaze – MKPhoto12/Shutterstock
Cider cake has evolved throughout history. In the late 19th century, the Temperance Movement began to take shape, and cider was one of its many targets. Prohibition was a win for the anti-alcohol crusaders. Consequently, many apple orchards were burned down. To save their businesses, farmers encouraged the public to eat apples, and sweeter varieties that were better for consuming were grown. During this time, cider cake was likely not as popular, simply due to the fact that cider itself was outlawed. Instead, home chefs took to making goods with fresh apples.
By the time Prohibition ended in 1933, many Americans had moved to urban areas. An influx of European immigrants marked the arrival European brewing traditions, and beer became more popular than cider. However, cideries are making a comeback (around 600 opened between 2011 and 2019), and with them, modern variations of cider cake. Many newer recipes have the majority of the basics seen in pre-Prohibition variations, including flour, baking soda, sugar, eggs, and of course, cider. Some recipes feature brown sugar, applesauce, shredded apples, and vanilla extract as complementary notes. Like the original, cider cake is still often topped with powdered sugar, but some recipes get more creative and feature apple cider frosting or glaze.
Read the original article on Mashed.
