1800 to 1869 Cake #4

Sarah Polk's Hickory Nut Cake

In the past, bakers had to be resourceful and use ingredients that were harvested nearby or that they could find for themselves. Hickory nuts are one of the few indigenous American nuts. They are smooth and ivory-colored. Compared to a pecan, they are harder to obtain and difficult to shell.

In the 1800's, this pound cake, with the nuts folded in, was very popular. The recipe was adapted from The First Ladies Cook Book by Margaret Brown. The cake got its title because it was one of Sarah Polk's favorites and she was the wife of former U.S. president James K. Polk.

I really liked this cake! It was not overly sweet, but it still had a lot of flavor. It would be great in the morning with hot chocolate or coffee, it also would round off a hearty dinner really well. Or, if you are like me, you can take miniature slices of it throughout the day:) I do have to admit that I didn't fully follow the recipe. The book said that if you cannot find Hickory Nuts that Pecans are a suitable substitution. I looked at 3 different stores and no one had them. I looked online and they were way too expensive to order for just one cake. So yes, I cheated and saved some money, but it was still delicious!