1870 to 1899 Cake #2

Shoofly Pie

In the 1880's, the Pennsylvania Dutch put molasses crumb cake in a pie crust and called it Shoofly Pie. The crust was added so that people could eat the cake with their hands over their morning coffee. The name Shoofly is believed to have come from the name of a very popular circus animal at the time, Shoofly the Boxing Mule. The Shoofly name was branded onto foods like Shoofly molasses which is a main ingredient in this dessert.

Historians believe that this was a winter time treat because of the use of molasses and the lack of eggs. Molasses would ferment in the heat of summer without refrigeration and hens did not lay eggs in the cooler weather. In a modern world we forget that people were limited in a multitude of ways when it came to cooking. I never even thought about chickens not producing eggs in the winter!

This cake includes molasses, coffee, and spices. It has a very strong flavor and almost seems like there could be chocolate in it. If you are a coffee or tea drinker this would be a great pairing. This was one of those times where my version didn't come out so hot. It cooked a bit unevenly, the innards overtook the edges of the crust, and it just looked a mess. Taste, however, is always more important than presentation in my book. The flavor packed a punch, it was a little too strong for my husband and I, but our neighbors really enjoyed it.

* I also love the name. I can just hear my grandpa from Ohio saying, "Shoofly Pie!"