queen cake

plural queen cakes · alternative queencake · alternative queen-cake · alternative queen's cake

1. datedcookingA soft, muffin-sized, often heart-shaped cake, particularly popular in the 18th century, containing currants and flavoured with mace and sometimes lemons or oranges, which may be topped with chocolate or shredded coconut.

   I will have queen cakes when you come to me!

   1894 August, W[illiam] B[utler] Yeats, The Land of Heart’s Desire, 1st American edition, Chicago, Ill.: Stone & Kimball […], →OCLC, page 32

   5 more examples

   To make Queens Cakes. Take a Pound of dry'd Flovver, a Pound of refin'd Sugar ſifted, and a Pound of Currans vvaſh'd, pick'd, and rubb'd clean, and a Pound of Butter vvaſh'd very vvell, and rub it into the Flovver and Sugar, vvith a little beaten Mace, and a little Orange-Flovver VVater; beat ten Eggs, but half the VVhites, vvork it all vvell together vvith your Hands, and put in the Currans; ſift over it double-refin'd Sugar, and put them immediately into a gentle Oven to bake.

   1723, R[obert] Smith, “Of Pastes, Pies, Pasties, Puddings, Tansies, Cakes, Jellies, &c.”, in Court Cookery or, The Compleat English Cook. […], part II, London: […] T[homas] Wotton, […], →OCLC, page 41

   Hal, who was waſteful even in his good-nature, threw a whole queen-cake to the dog, who ſwallowed it for a ſingle mouthful. […] [H]e ate and ate, as he walked along, till at laſt he ſtopped, and ſaid, "This bun taſtes ſo bad after the queen-cakes, I can't bear it!"

   1800, Maria Edgeworth, “The Waste Not, Want Not; or, Two Strings to Your Bow.”, in The Parent’s Assistant, or Stories for Children. […], 3rd edition, volume V, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], by G[eorge] Woodfall, […], →OCLC, page 148

   QUEEN CAKE. Beat one pound of butter to cream, with some rose-water, one pound of flour dried, one pound of sifted sugar, twelve eggs, beat all well together; add a few currants washed and dried; butter small pans of a size for the purpose, grate sugar over them; they are soon baked.

   1837, [attributed to Frances Harriet Whipple Green McDougall], “Pastry, Cakes, &c.”, in The Housekeeper’s Book, […], Philadelphia, Pa.: William Marshall & Co. […], →OCLC, page 131

   I'm quite ready when I'm done eating this one queen-cake more.

   1840, Frances Trollope, “Judgments Formed, and Sentiments Generated— […]”, in The Widow Married; […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 319–320

   Lily was so surprised she sat down on a warm queen's cake that happened to be near, […]

   1886, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, “The Candy Country”, in Lulu’s Library, volume I, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1890, →OCLC, page 52

   Synonyms: heart cake