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Vegetables in cakes

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Vegetables in cakes

Postby Binky » Sun Sep 24, 2017 5:01 pm

For example carrot cake, or grated courgettes in chocolate cake. When did this start? Any idea?

I'm asking because I have an American book on baking, and they say that vegetables were first added to cakes 'by hardy pioneer farmers wives'.

I think that is tosh, and all sorts of veg has been added to cake recipes over the centuries. :crying2

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Re: Vegetables in cakes

Postby strictlysalsaclare » Sun Sep 24, 2017 5:53 pm

Hi Binky

you are probably right, because I think vegetables were used to sweeten yeast leavened cakes prior to sugar becoming mass produced as a result of the slave trade. However, the Pilgrim Fathers settled in America somewhere in the mid-1600s. The other Europeans that moved to America may have also arrived at a similar time, or within 50-100 years or so. This might be what your American baking book was referring to.

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Re: Vegetables in cakes

Postby Alexandria » Sun Sep 24, 2017 8:03 pm

Binky & Strictly Salsa,



The Yuca or Cassava or Manioc, has been a principle dietary vegetable in many North - western African countries for 10,000 years and was brought to Brazil in the 1500s by Vasco da Gama.

The flour made of Yuca Flour was a staple in bread making ..

I am veered to believe that stuffing and wrapping vegetables in flat breads, and phyllo in date back to the grand civilivations: The Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Moghul Kings, Indians, Chinese and other Asian countries as well ..

Interesting topic ..
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Re: Vegetables in cakes

Postby Binky » Mon Sep 25, 2017 2:21 pm

I agree with both of you. Thanks for your replies.

It seems obvious (to me at least) that cooks were experimenting and using anything and everything to hand when baking, boiling, and barbequeing in ages past.

They didn't write things down, so I expect there are no ancient recipes to check, but I am sure that we are not the first to use vegetables in cakes/sweet dishes.

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Re: Vegetables in cakes

Postby Alexandria » Wed Sep 27, 2017 11:49 am

[quote="Binky"]I agree with both of you. Thanks for your replies.

It seems obvious (to me at least) that cooks were experimenting and using anything and everything to hand when baking, boiling, and barbequeing in ages past.

They didn't write things down, so I expect there are no ancient recipes to check, but I am sure that we are not the first to use vegetables in cakes/sweet dishes.[/quote


@Binky,

Almost anything that is sweet can be turned into a savory concoction .. I have a Pâtissier friend in Milano, who creates pastries at a well known classic establishment, however, he also does a line of amazing savory fillings .. With Courgette, Aubergine, Spinach, home made Ricotta, Rocket, Prosciutto etcetra ..

Think of Calazone, Coca, a Mallorcan Pizza, which can be also be prepared with savory or sweet fillings or Phyllo and Classic Quiches ..

There are récipes for savory or cakes filled with vegetables, however, one must take out the time to find them and research ..

This is very popular in France and Italy as well as Alsace, Germany, who prepare an "onion tart" which is also done in Alsace, France too ..


Have a lovely day ..
Thanks ..
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Re: Vegetables in cakes

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Oct 02, 2017 5:48 pm

While I'm sure you are correct about adding veg being an old habit,it would have been considered very odd when I grew up in 50s and 60s England though of course parsnips and carrots were used in baking in wartime UK and there was probably a reaction against that

I think I first had carrot cake in 1972 when it seemed quite exotic, and I suspect the current trend for adding carrots, courgettes and beetroot to cakes and muffins did come from from the US, the common method of mixing dry ingredients and wet (including oil) and then combining them I do understand to be American

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Re: Vegetables in cakes

Postby mark111757 » Sat Oct 14, 2017 7:54 pm

The village of Phelps, new York has a sauerkraut festival every year and it makes me think of chocolate sauerkraut cake.

Silver floss was located in Phelps for many years. There was a facility that took cabbage and made. It into sauerkraut.

For quite a while it was packed in plastic bags, and sold in the refrigerated section of the supermarket.

Recipe

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ger ... kraut-cake

https://www.thespruce.com/easy-chocolat ... pe-1135989

For a few years dad put up homemade and it was nothing like commercial made. The taste and the crunch.

Miss those days

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Re: Vegetables in cakes

Postby Gillthepainter » Sun Oct 15, 2017 9:03 am

Crikey!
I cannot begin to imagine what the sauerkraut cake tastes like, Mark.
I'm pretty tempted to try it.

I wonder if Uschi knows it, I should think she does.

Lotte Duncan probably would have an insight into this. I really like her, always have.
Years ago she was on TV more as a food historian, although looking at her site, she's a food presenter.

I'll send her an email, you never know ......

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Re: Vegetables in cakes

Postby Suffs » Sun Oct 15, 2017 2:14 pm

I thought carrots in cakes and puddings stretched right back to medieval time when carrots were used as a sweetener before sugar became widely available; (certainly pre any trans-atlantic 'hardy pioneer women' )

Mr Google came up with this http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/carrotcake.html :)

However, once squashes from the Americas became available they would of course have been used instead of or as well as carrots ........ however, squashes are a fruit aren't they? Not a vegetable ;)

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