By Tim Lambert
Early Cakes
The earliest recipe for pancakes in England dates from the 15th century. People were supposed to fast from certain foods during Lent, the 40 days before Easter. They also confessed their sins before Lent. The old English word for confessing was shrive, so the day when confessions were made was called shrive or shriven Tuesday. Later, it became Shrove Tuesday. Making pancakes was a useful way of using up food like butter and eggs before the period of fasting.
In the 16th century, people were fond of sweet foods (if they could afford them). The rich ate preserved fruit, gingerbread, sugared almonds, and jelly. However, sugar was costly, so most people used honey to sweeten their food.
In England, people began eating marzipan in the Middle Ages. It is a paste made of almonds and sugar. In the 16th century, people used marzipan to make edible sculptures of animals, castles, trees, and people called subtleties.
In the 16th century, people were fond of sweet foods (if they could afford them). The rich ate preserved fruit, gingerbread, sugared almonds, and jelly. However, sugar was costly, so most people used honey to sweeten their food.
Since the Middle Ages, people have eaten simnel cakes. Simnel was originally the name of fine flour. There is a Simnel Street in Southampton.
At Christmas, the Tudors enjoyed mince pies, but they had religious significance. They had 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and the apostles; they included fruit (raisins, currants, prunes) and spices (cloves, mace, black pepper, saffron) and also mutton to represent the shepherds. The fashion was for them to be shaped like a crib, but this practice was banned by Oliver Cromwell.
The Tudors also had Christmas pudding, but this was shaped like a sausage and contained meat, oatmeal, and spices. Twelfth Night cake was a fruitcake baked with an item like a coin or dried bean; whoever found it became King or Queen or host for the evening’s entertainment. Banbury cakes were first mentioned in 1586.
Meanwhile, scones were first mentioned in the early 16th century.
In Tudor times, people ate spiced buns on Good Friday. The first mention of crosses on them was in the 18th century. So by the 1700s, people were eating hot cross buns. Meanwhile, bread and butter pudding also became a common dish in the 17th century.
In the 16th century, people in Spain and Italy began eating sponge cakes. However, the first English recipe for sponge cake was written in 1615.
The earliest recipe for crumpets dates from the beginning of the 18th century (although they may have existed before then). Eccles cakes also date from the 18th century.
Modern Cakes
In the 19th century, with the Industrial Revolution, the mass production of cakes, biscuits, and jelly began. Many new cakes were invented. In the 19th century, people began to eat birthday cakes. Battenberg cake was invented in the 19th century. So was the Swiss roll. Victoria Sponge was also invented in the 19th century (it was named after Queen Victoria). Kendal Mint Cake was invented in 1869. Doughnuts also date from the 19th century.
Bakewell tart is known locally as Bakewell pudding. It was said to have been invented by accident in 1859. However, it was made before that date, and the accident story is a myth. Tarte Tatin was invented in the 1880s. Pavlova was invented in the 1920s. Jaffa cakes went on sale in 1927.
