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Election Day Cake

Vote for Cake!

The Editors
Yield
Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Category
Cakes and Frostings
Course
Desserts
Sources
Recipes with a History
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Back in colonial times, Election Day Cakes were a popular tradition. Weeklong celebrations often accompanied certifying the election results. Many folks traveled long distances in order to vote.

Unlike today, Election Day was treated as a party with people gathering from all over. The food and booze flowed. Indeed, election cakes were a boozy affair with lots of alcohol-soaked fruits and spices.

Over time, Election Day Cakes became more of a spice cake. This recipe was printed in The 2009 Old Farmer’s Almanac. It’s adapted from Lydia Maria Child’s recipe for Election Cake, which appears in the 1833 edition of The American Frugal Housewife, published in Boston. We have reduced Mrs. Child’s recipe and added a little spice, which was, and is, typical in election cake.

Vote for cake!

Find more about Election Day wit and wisdom.

Ingredients
2 packages active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons each)
1-1/2 cups lukewarm water (105° to 115°F)
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) margarine or butter
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup currants
1/4 cup chopped candied citron
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast into the warm water; stir to dissolve. Add 2 teaspoons sugar and 1-1⁄2 cups flour and beat well by hand or for 2 minutes with an electric mixer at medium speed. Cover and let rise in a warm place until bubbly, about 30 minutes.
  2. In a separate bowl, cream margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.; set aside. In another bowl, sift remaining flour with salt, cinnamon, cloves, mace, and nutmeg.
  3. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. When yeast mixture is bubbly, add eggs to the margarine and sugar and beat well. Combine with yeast mixture. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, beating with a spoon after each addition. Beat until smooth. Stir in raisins, currants, citron, and nuts.
  4. Pour into prepared tube pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1⁄2 hours. Bake at 375°F for about 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to finish cooling. 
  5. While slightly warm, spread with confectioners’ sugar icing.

Confectioners' Sugar Icing

Ingredients
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of salt
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar with enough milk to make a glaze. 
  2. Add the vanilla and salt and stir until smooth.
About The Author

The Old Farmer's Almanac Editors

We love introducing fun new recipes as well as time-tested recipes, straight from the archives! Read More from The Old Farmer's Almanac Editors
 

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Comments

P. Dyer (not verified)

1 year ago

The ingredients in this cake are so like the ingredients in Hot Cross Buns ... even the icing ! I may try this one !

Michael (not verified)

5 years ago

Does this cake look puffed up and splendid with promises of great future enjoyment,then the next day reveal itself to be mainly stale old pork? If not,then it is not a true Election Day Cake....

Nette (not verified)

2 weeks 5 days ago

well . . . here we are again . . . November 2, 2024.

NICHOLAS GOMES (not verified)

6 years ago

I like this cake recipe. Nice spices. I might actually try it for this coming Christmas.

Dot Shirley (not verified)

8 years ago

In the ingredient list mace is not mentioned but in the instructions it is. How much mace is in the cake?
This sounds really yummy. kV

Thank you, Dot.  Good catch! We added the mace to the ingredient list. Note it is 1/4 teaspoon ground mace and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.