Early American Republic · United States
Eliza Leslie's Queen Cakes
From Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats · Eliza Leslie · 1828
Verified from original source
Small American butter cakes baked in individual tins with currants.
History
Queen cakes, small rich cakes baked in individual tins or teacups, originated in 17th-century England and remained popular through the Victorian era. Eliza Leslie's 1828 version represents American adaptation of this British tradition. Typically made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and currants or raisins, they were considered refined teatime fare for middle and upper classes. The name possibly honours Queen Elizabeth I or simply denotes their superior quality. Leslie, Philadelphia's most influential antebellum cookbook author, helped establish American baking standards. Queen cakes evolved into modern cupcakes and fairy cakes, though original versions were denser and less sweet than contemporary counterparts.
Sources
- Eliza Leslie, Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats, 1828
- Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, 1747
- Elizabeth David, English Bread and Yeast Cookery, 1977
- Alan Davidson, The Oxford Companion to Food, 1999
- Anne Willan, The Cookbook Library, 2012
Serves
18
Prep
20m
Cook
20m
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- · 225 g butter, softened
- · 225 g caster sugar
- · 4 eggs
- · 280 g plain flour
- · 150 g currants
- · 1 teaspoon ground mace
- · Zest of 1 lemon
Method
- 1
Cream butter and sugar until very light.
- 2
Beat in eggs one at a time.
- 3
Fold in flour, mace and lemon zest.
- 4
Stir in currants.
- 5
Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 180°C for 18-20 minutes.
