Cup cakes

Cup cakes appeared in the first cookbook published by an American author, "American Cookery" by Simmons as "A light Cake to bake in small cups." The cakes were baked in cups or small tins. This may be one source for the name, the other may be that in some, but not all recipes, the measurements were in increments of a cup.

One example is Child's The Frugal Housewife in 1830: "Cup cake. Cup cake is about as good as pound cake, and is cheaper. One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, and four eggs, well beat together, and baked in pans or cups. Bake twenty minutes, and no more."

At the same time a 1,2,3,4 type recipe that used milk rather than eggs is found in The Cook Not Mad of 1831: "Cup Cake. Four cups of flour, three of sugar, two of butter, one of milk, small tea spoonful of pearlash, spoonful of ginger, essence of lemon."

American Cookery, Amelia Simmons, 2nd edition. 1796
Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats, By Eliza Leslie. 1828
Mackenzie's five thousand receipts in all the useful and domestic arts. 1829
Child, Lydia Maria Francis. The Frugal Housewife 1830
The Cook Not Mad. 1831
Whitney, Daniel. The family physician, and guide to health. NY: 1833
Family Magazine. Cincinnati: 1837 White Cup Cake.
The Lady's annual register and housewife's memorandum book. Boston: 1837
Alcott, William. The young house-keeper. Boston: 1838 whole wheat and rice flour
Leslie, Eliza. Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches. 1840
Allen, Ann. The Housekeeper's Assistant. 1845
Crowen, TJ. Every Lady's Book. 1845 Tea CC, Cocoanut CC, Molasses CC
Howland, Esther Allen. The New England Economical Housekeeper. 1845
Marshall, Josiah. The farmer's and emigrant's hand-book. New York: 1845 bread dough, saleratus
Allen, Ann. The orphan's friend and housekeeper's assistant... temperance principles... Boston: 1845 Rosewater
Beecher, Catharine. Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book. 1846 CC without Eggs, Cocoanut Cup Cake
Cornelius, Mrs. The young housekeeper's friend. Boston: 1846 Second recipe includes currants.
Webster, Mrs. A.L. The Improved Housewife. Hartford: 1847 several, NY CC, CC, Measure Cake
Putnam, Elizabeth. Mrs. Putnam's receipt book. Boston 1849
Ladies' indispensable assistant. NY: 1850 many types: CC no 1 & 2, Best, Cream, New-York CC
Leslie, Eliza. Miss Leslie's lady's new receipt-book. Phila: 1850 Indian Cupcakes
The American matron. Boston: 1851 1, 2, 3, 4 Cake
Collins, Anna Maria. The Great Western Cook Book. c1851 1857
Lea, Elizabeth E. Domestic Cookery. c1851
Scott, Marion. The practical housekeeper. Toledo: 1855 number cake
Cookery as it should be. Goodfellow. Phila: 1856 1, 2, 3, 4 Cake
Traill, Catherine. The Canadian settler's guide. 1857

Foreign desserts for English tables, by the author of 'Everbody's pudding book' London: 1862
Croly, Jane Cunningham. Jennie June's American Cookery Book. c1866. 1870
Croly, Jane Cunningham. Jennie June's American Cookery Book. c1866. 1870
Wilcox, Estelle Woods. Buckeye Cookery. 1877
Mrs. Lincoln's Boston Cook Book. 1884
Hearn, Lafcadio. La Cuisine Creole. 1885
Burr, Mrs. Hattie A. The Woman Suffrage Cook Book. 1890?
Gillette, F.L. White House Cook Book. 1887
Aunt Babette's Cook Book. 1889
Farmer, Fannie Merritt. The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book. 1896
Los Angeles Times. The Times Cook Book, No. 2 1905
Council of Jewish Women. The Neighborhood Cook Book. 1914
Greenbaum, Florence Kreisler. The International Jewish Cookbook. 1919

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©2005 Patricia Bixler Reber

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