Cup Cakes No. 1 for a Picnic
Cup Cake No. 1 We had a reenactment today here in the Chicago suburbs, and, as seems to be usual this spring, thunderstorms caused the event to cancel in the early afternoon Rain, rain, go away! Our group had planned a period picnic for an easy fun day. I knew I wanted to bring something easy to transport, enticing in size - just a bite! - and clean and tidy. I settled on a Cup Cake from The New England Economical Housekeeper , by Ester A. Howland (Cincinnati, 1845). I had made this cake once before, with only fair results. The flavor was nice, but I found it to be dry. With advice from my friend and fellow historic food historian, Elaine Kessinger, I decided to remake it using a different technique. The resultant cakes were tender and delicious. The Recipe The New England Economical Housekeeper The ingredients are fairly straightforward and really don't need any explanation. For flavoring, I added a pinch of ground cloves, a pin