Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: November 26th, 2021. Today is National Cake Day and the day after Thanksgiving and most everyone has left over desserts including Cake making this the perfect time to celebrate National Cake Day.
I don’t know about you but I had Cake for breakfast this morning and if truth is told I was thinking of having another slice at dinner. Because if its a day to celebrate Cake then I should be able to have as much Cake as I want? Right? Would you like to join me with a slice of Chocolate Cake and a glass of Milk?
Five Facts about Cake:
- In Roman times, Eggs and Butter were often added to basic Bread to give a consistency that we would recognize as Cake-like, and Honey was used as a sweetener.
2. The famous saying, ‘let them eat cake’, was attributed to Marie Antoniette upon learning that her people had no Bread, but the saying was probably much older.
3. In Scotland, and parts of Wales and Northern England, Cake took on the specific meaning of ‘a thick, hard Biscuit made from Oatmeal’.
4. From the 17th to 19th Centuries, Scotland was humorously known as the ‘Land of Cakes’ and until comparatively recently. Hogmanay was also known as ‘Cake Day’ from the custom of calling on people’s houses onNew Year and having Cake.
5. The ‘Cakewalk’ dance originated in African American Communities in the Southern United States and was originally a competition in graceful walking, with Cake awarded as a prize.
“LET THEM EAT CAKE”
National Cake Day falls on November 26th and we believe Marie Antoinette said it best when she (allegedly) said “let them eat cake!”
We’re not sure the Peasants of 18th Century France were too fond of the sentiment but nevertheless we’ll take Marie Antoinette advice and eat Cake.
WHAT IS NATIONAL CAKE DAY?
If you can’t wait for your birthday? Remember, National Cake Day falls on November 26TH. No one really knows how this holiday came about, but we all know that we love to eat Cake.
Birthday parties, Wedding receptions, Baby Showers, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Quinceañeras, and pretty much any social event serves Cake for dessert.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CAKE DAY
The term “Cake” has a rather complicated history and the word Cake itself is of Viking origin, from the Old Norse word “kaka.”
It’s All Greek to Me!
The ancient Greeks called Cake “plakous,” which was derived from the word for “flat.” Simple ingredients include Flour mixed with Eggs, Milk, Nuts, and Honey. They also had a Cake called “Satura,” a flat heavy cake. During the Roman period, the name for Cake became “Placenta,” which derived from the Greek term. A Placenta was baked on a pastry base or inside a pastry case.
Baklava is considered an “O.G. Cake” by all Major Historians.
The name Placenta is still used today on the Island of Lesbos in Greece to describe a Baklava-type dessert of layered Pastry Leaves containing crushed Nuts baked and covered in Honey.)
When in Rome
The Greeks invented Beer as a Leavener, frying Fritters in Olive Oil, and Cheesecakes using Goat’s Milk. In ancient Rome basic Bread dough was sometimes enriched with Butter, Eggs, and Honey, which produced a sweet Cake-like dessert.
Get Downtown With The Queen
Early Cakes in England were mainly bread. The most obvious differences between a “Cake” and “Bread” were the round, flat shape of Cakes, and the cooking method, which turned Cakes over once while cooking, while Bread was left upright throughout the baking process.
Sponge cakes, leavened with beaten eggs, originated during the Renaissance.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
