Simmons's Independence Cake

History

Independence Cake appears in Amelia Simmons's 'American Cookery' (1796), the first cookbook written by an American and published in the United States. This rich pound cake contained twenty pounds of flour, fifteen pounds of sugar, butter, eggs, wine, brandy, and spices—clearly meant for large gatherings. Its patriotic name reflects post-Revolutionary American identity, linking culinary celebration to nationhood. The recipe required substantial ingredients and labour, suggesting use for significant public or community celebrations like Independence Day or political events. Similar oversized celebration cakes remained popular in American baking through the nineteenth century.

Sources

• Simmons, Amelia. American Cookery. Hartford: Hudson & Goodwin, 1796.
• Hess, Karen. Introduction and notes to facsimile edition of American Cookery. Bedford, MA: Applewood Books, 1996.
• Smith, Andrew F. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. Oxford University Press, 2004.
• Stavely, Keith and Kathleen Fitzgerald. America's Founding Food: The Story of New England Cooking. University of North Carolina Press, 2004.
• Theophano, Janet. Eat My Words: Reading Women's Lives through the Cookbooks They Wrote. Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.