Election Cake

A great recipe for troubling times.

I spent the last couple of weeks developing my own version of a quirky, old-timey recipe: Election Cake. I hadn’t quite finished testing the recipe when we had, well, an election.

I won’t talk politics or public policy here (right now), but I really want to. If you want to talk about those things with me, please reach out—always happy to chat. And before anyone else tells me to “stay in my lane” and keep things about baking: This is my lane. My other career is devoted to public service. I have a master’s degree in public policy and economic development. I’ve run nonprofit organizations and worked with all levels of government.

The humidity did a number on the decoration.

Like most of my close friends and family, I hoped Kamala Harris and Tim Walz would prevail in America’s presidential election. Although I wasn’t surprised at the outcome, I am distraught. From Tuesday evening to Friday night, I kept myself active. I (almost) entirely unplugged. I stayed away from screens as much as possible. When I tried to sit down and write, the writing didn’t flow. I baked (and baked, and baked), cleaned the house, ran errands, and went to the pottery studio to sling some mud—anything to keep my hands and mind busy. It took me until yesterday morning to start putting this thing together.

In good news: this soda-fired cake plate that I made in pottery class!

For this week’s newsletter, I planned to share a joyful, positive story about the election and my recipe for Election Cake. Instead, I have a recipe and a not-so-happy story. I thought about not sharing this recipe, or anything for that matter, but I really like this recipe.

Back in November 2020, when we were still all staying home, I baked an Election Cake. I read several articles about this cake, which may have originated in Hartford, Connecticut. It is a fruit-filled, spiced, yeast-risen cake. How intriguing! I made one for Election Day, and even decorated it. We planned to cut a slice after the election was called. That didn’t happen for three more days. When I finally cut a slice, the cake was way past its prime. (I’m unsure if it would have even tasted good on election day.)

The 2020 Election Cake. It looked better than it tasted.

In 1988, iconic New York Times food writer Marian Burros wrote an excellent piece about this cake, whatever it may be. She also provided a recipe from another icon, the 1984 Fanny Farmer cookbook by Marion Cunningham. As an avid bread-baker, I was fascinated by this idea of a yeast-risen cake. (There are many other bread-like cakes or cake-like breads, such as Stollen, Kugelhopf, Rum Baba, and Savarin). I adapted Marian and Marion’s recipes for my tastes.

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Election Cake

This cake isn't like any other cake you've probably had. It's risen with yeast and eggs. It's less rich and sweet compared other cakes. It is slightly bread-like quality while still being very...cake. To me it’s like a less-sweet pound cake stuffed with fruit and nuts. The texture is lovely—soft yet hearty.

Fresh yeast works best for this recipe. I've made it with osmotolerant instant yeast, but it didn't have the same energy as the fresh yeast. I got a much better texture and rise from the fresh stuff.

You can play with the spices in the cake, but do not put cinnamon in the cake batter. Cinnamon will significantly slow (or even stop) the yeast.

Heavily adapted from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook.

Makes 1 large bundt cake, serves 12-16.

Takes at least 4 1/2 hours, plus cooling time.

Most of the ingredients.

Soaked fruit

100 g golden raisins

100 g dried (sweetened) tart cherries

100 g dried apricots, chopped

115 g (1/2 cup) whisky, rum, or brandy

Combine everything in a bowl, cover, and let sit for at least 12 hours, up to 3 days. Stir a couple of times while it soaks.

Sponge

227 g (1 cup) warm water

14 g fresh yeast (yes, fresh yeast)

1 Tablespoon sugar

300 g (2 1/2 cups) flour

Add the water to a large mixing bowl, crumble in the yeast and add the sugar. Whisk to dissolve. Dump in all the flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms and you don't see any lumps of flour. Cover and let rise for about an hour. It should at least double in size.

Batter

227 g (1 cup) butter at room temperature, plus more for buttering the pan

300 g (1 1/2 cups) sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 Tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon)

2 Tablespoons orange Zest (from about 1 medium navel orange)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

180 g (1 1/2 cups) flour

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

All of the Sponge (from above)

All of the Soaked Fruit (from above)

150 g toasted pecans, chopped

For Finishing

6 tablespoons melted butter

50 g (1/4 cup) sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Thoroughly brush a large bundt pan with softened butter.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle, add the butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, orange zest, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and mace. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until the sugar mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl then add about 3 Tablespoons of flour and beat for 30 seconds. Beat the eggs and extracts together with a fork in a 2-cup measuring cup. While the mixer is running, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture. Add half of the remaining flour, beat until combined, then add the rest of flour and beat until combined. Using wet hands, take the risen sponge and add it to the dough in clumps in roughly 3-tablespoon chunks, with the mixer on medium-low speed Continue mixing until all of the sponge has been added, then mix for another 1 full minute until you don’t see any chunks of the sponge. Drain the soaked fruit. Turn the mixer off and add the soaked fruit and chopped nuts, then mix on the lowest speed just until the fruit is evenly mixed in. (Don't mix for long with the fruit, because the soaked fruit is soft and can break apart.)

Before the long rise.

Scrape the dough into the prepared bundt pan, cover it, and let it rise until just slighly puffy (it will not double in size, not even close), about 2 full hours at 72F. Heat the oven to 350F with a rack in the middle position. Bake for about 45-60 minutes until the cake is deeply golden brown, risen, and springs back when pressed in the center, and a cake tester comes out with just a few crumbs attached.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. With the cake still in the pan, brush the cake with some melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Invert the warm cake onto a cooling rack, and liberally brush with melted butter then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Let the cake cool completely and slice and enjoy. The cake lasts, covered at room temperature, for at least 3 days.

Happy Baking,
Martin

Trying to smile.