Becky's Fun Food History Videos
Marble Cake
Marble cake typically conjures up images of a beautifully swirled vanilla and chocolate cake, similar to the look of vanilla fudge ice cream. However, throughout most of the nineteenth century, the swirls in marble cake got their lovely chestnut color from molasses and rich spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, not chocolate. Chocolate as a cake flavoring in America didn’t start appearing in cookbooks until the latter part of the nineteenth century. Prior to this, chocolate was consumed mainly as a beverage. In fact, the earliest recipes labeled “chocolate cake” were meant to be eaten with hot chocolate and actually contain no chocolate at all. In the late 1870s improvements in cocoa processing created a much smoother, more delicious tasting chocolate, which better translated to cake baking.
Marble cake typically conjures up images of a beautifully swirled vanilla and chocolate cake, similar to the look of vanilla fudge ice cream. However, throughout most of the nineteenth century, the swirls in marble cake got their lovely chestnut color from molasses and rich spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, not chocolate. Chocolate as a cake flavoring in America didn’t start appearing in cookbooks until the latter part of the nineteenth century. Prior to this, chocolate was consumed mainly as a beverage. In fact, the earliest recipes labeled “chocolate cake” were meant to be eaten with hot chocolate and actually contain no chocolate at all. In the late 1870s improvements in cocoa processing created a much smoother, more delicious tasting chocolate, which better translated to cake baking.
Mrs. Rorer's Chocolate Cake
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This recipe is from Sarah Tyson Rorer, a well-known Philadelphia cooking instructor from the late 1870s through the early 20th century. After appearing at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, she became a household name and traveled the country to demonstrate cooking techniques to one packed auditorium after another. Many of these events were touted as “pure food fairs” by major food manufacturers as a way of advertising their products and indoctrinating American housewives to the newfangled products meant to make baking and cooking easier, such as baking powder, Baker’s chocolate and canned foods. By promoting and demonstrating their products, these companies also hoped to alleviate concerns about food adulteration scandals that were common at the time, such as cream of tartar cut with rice flour to make it stretch further. Mrs. Rorer also published books, articles and testimonials to complement her lecture circuit. (more...)
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Sponge Cake
Simple, light and elegant, sponge cake was the quintessential cake of the Victorian era, transformed into endless style and flavor combinations. Some were served plain, garnished simply with fruit, whipped cream or a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar. Others took it up a notch by adding flavorings such as lemon or orange. The most elegant were delicate, two-layer cakes with a jam or cream filling and perhaps some icing drizzled on top. (...more)
Simple, light and elegant, sponge cake was the quintessential cake of the Victorian era, transformed into endless style and flavor combinations. Some were served plain, garnished simply with fruit, whipped cream or a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar. Others took it up a notch by adding flavorings such as lemon or orange. The most elegant were delicate, two-layer cakes with a jam or cream filling and perhaps some icing drizzled on top. (...more)
Ginger Cookies
A popular treat in America, ginger cookie recipes were a product of the melting pot of cultures that made their way to the New World. During the nineteenth century, Philadelphian Eliza Leslie included recipes for Gingerbread Nuts, Common Gingerbread, and the patriotic sounding Lafayette Gingerbread (named after Washington confidant Gen. Marquis de Lafayette) in her cookbooks. The ginger cookie recipe I'm sharing here was adapted from Abby Fisher’s cookbook, What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking. Published in 1881, is the oldest known cookbook written by a former enslaved person. Born in 1832, Abby grew up in plantation kitchens in South Carolina. There she honed her culinary skills and became a phenomenal cook, which catapulted her to success later in life. Gaining her freedom after the Civil War, she and her husband, Alexander, and 11 children migrated to California in 1877. Upon arriving in San Francisco, she used her talents to set up a preserves business along with her husband. She won a diploma at the Sacramento State Fair in 1879, its highest award, and two medals in 1880 at the San Francisco Mechanics’ Institute Fair. Her ginger cookie recipe is soft, yet crispy at the edges- true perfection and adored by children - perfect for family gatherings. (more...)
A popular treat in America, ginger cookie recipes were a product of the melting pot of cultures that made their way to the New World. During the nineteenth century, Philadelphian Eliza Leslie included recipes for Gingerbread Nuts, Common Gingerbread, and the patriotic sounding Lafayette Gingerbread (named after Washington confidant Gen. Marquis de Lafayette) in her cookbooks. The ginger cookie recipe I'm sharing here was adapted from Abby Fisher’s cookbook, What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking. Published in 1881, is the oldest known cookbook written by a former enslaved person. Born in 1832, Abby grew up in plantation kitchens in South Carolina. There she honed her culinary skills and became a phenomenal cook, which catapulted her to success later in life. Gaining her freedom after the Civil War, she and her husband, Alexander, and 11 children migrated to California in 1877. Upon arriving in San Francisco, she used her talents to set up a preserves business along with her husband. She won a diploma at the Sacramento State Fair in 1879, its highest award, and two medals in 1880 at the San Francisco Mechanics’ Institute Fair. Her ginger cookie recipe is soft, yet crispy at the edges- true perfection and adored by children - perfect for family gatherings. (more...)
Strawberry Shortcake
True strawberry shortcake incorporates a rich, crumbly, biscuit-like cake that is not too sweet - very similar to a scone. The biscuit dough can be shaped into one large cake and then cut into pieces, or baked as separate little cakes, either by cutting the dough into rounds with a biscuit cutter, or dropping spoonfuls of dough on a baking sheet like a drop biscuit. Each individual cake is then split in half, filled with ripe, juicy strawberries and topped with fresh whipped cream.
A popular Victorian dessert, strawberry shortcake began popping up in American cookbooks in the mid-1800s, likely evolving from the shortcake and biscuit-type desserts that were common in England, such as Derby Short Cakes (also known as Derby Biscuits or Derby Cakes) - thick biscuits sweetened with sugar and sometimes currants, cut into scalloped rounds. Derby Short Cakes were apparently an offshoot of Yarmouth Biscuits, an even richer treat made with liberal amounts of butter and eggs and seasoned with caraway seeds. (more...)
True strawberry shortcake incorporates a rich, crumbly, biscuit-like cake that is not too sweet - very similar to a scone. The biscuit dough can be shaped into one large cake and then cut into pieces, or baked as separate little cakes, either by cutting the dough into rounds with a biscuit cutter, or dropping spoonfuls of dough on a baking sheet like a drop biscuit. Each individual cake is then split in half, filled with ripe, juicy strawberries and topped with fresh whipped cream.
A popular Victorian dessert, strawberry shortcake began popping up in American cookbooks in the mid-1800s, likely evolving from the shortcake and biscuit-type desserts that were common in England, such as Derby Short Cakes (also known as Derby Biscuits or Derby Cakes) - thick biscuits sweetened with sugar and sometimes currants, cut into scalloped rounds. Derby Short Cakes were apparently an offshoot of Yarmouth Biscuits, an even richer treat made with liberal amounts of butter and eggs and seasoned with caraway seeds. (more...)
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Chocolate Puffs
Deliciously chewy with a slightly crispy coating, chocolate puffs are delightful meringue cookies reminiscent of a baked chocolate mousse. Very simple to make, they require only four ingredients: egg whites, powdered sugar, cornstarch and unsweetened chocolate. (Read more...) 
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