Mayflower Grape Cake, an enigma

Some recipes make you question their origin. Were they invented by a frugal housewife, crazy chemist, or hungry stoner? While stoner recipes don't tend to hold up well to reexamination, there are other excellent recipes that beg the question of what circumstance prompted their creation, or at least what set of events gave them their name.

Such is the case with the mysterious Mayflower Grape Cake. I've only seen it called thus in the Southern Heritage Cakes Cookbook, and wonder why an ostensibly Southern cake is named for the ship that carried the pilgrims to a place that is definitely not in the South. Massachusetts is so gawdawful Yankee liberal that, according to many Southerners (and some Yankees, too), the Commonwealth¹ of Massachusetts perches on the precipice of disaster, what with gay marriage and Romneycare. It's a wonder that the entire state hasn't been swallowed up by a great earthquake or sea monster. (I'm certain that any natural disaster that befalls the state will be blamed on one or both of these abominations, or maybe on high taxes. My question is, if God wanted to make an unequivocal statement on either subject, wouldn't he have done something on the day the bill passed? If a hurricane devastates the state now, it seems a stretch to assert that it's God's way of saying that a bill passed 57 months ago was immoral. Doncha think?)

But I digress. It is possible, perhaps even plausible, that Pilgrims or other early settlers invented a cake flavored with, or at least adorned by, grapes. The first white inhabitants of the United States struggled mightily to provide enough sustenance to the flock (apparently they weren't paying attention to their Native American neighbors). The harsh New England climate proved difficult for farming, but local berries and grapes were plentiful. The settlers may have made do with what was available, including grape juice, to concoct desserts. Hey, it's a theory.

But inventions aside, how did the cake find its way into a Southern cookbook? One possible answer lies in the various Societies of Mayflower Descendents, with chapters in every Southern state. The North Carolina chapter even offered a literary prize from 1931 to 2002 called the Mayflower Cup. This shows that Mayflower descendants take their heritage seriously. So it stands to reason that as Mayflower descendants migrated South to more hospitable climes, they took their newly created recipes with them, and passed them down to their sons and daughters. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

But how is the cake? The cookbook photo shows a cake with icing that has sagged a bit. It's a little like that in real life, too. I wasn't able to use any of the filling for decoration as depicted, because my filling set up really, really firm, as you can see in the above photo. In fact, the recipe I have included here uses less cornstarch than the original so you can actually spread the filling without smooshing the cake. But the flavor is intriguing. The combination of grape juice and lemon juice has a sweet yet tangy flavor that's hard to put a finger on. The color is attractive, although mine turned out more rose-hued than purple. It may be because I used Meyer lemons. At any rate, it is an attractive filling.

I didn't even bother with the white cake recipe in the book because it used shortening, and because I have worked hard to perfect my own easy and lovely white cake. I can guarantee that the cake I used was better than the original recipe.

Disappointingly, the recipe uses a 7-minute icing. I don't like 7-minute icing because you can't easily decorate with it, but I did like the light texture and subtle grape flavor of this version. It's also a pale lilac color, which is a pleasant change from most bland white icing.

I do declare I will make this cake again, although I might try a grape-flavored Italian buttercream (using grape juice concentrate for flavor) instead of a 7-minute icing.

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1 For an explanation of this distinction without a difference, visit mentalfloss.com

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Mayflower Grape Cake

2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) bleached cake flour*
12 ounces sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 egg whites (3/4 cup), room temperature
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter**, softened
Grape Filling (recipe follows)
Grape Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 8 or 9-inch pans with parchment (if using 8-inch pans they must be 2 inches deep); spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Measure dry ingredients into bowl of stand mixer or a large bowl. In a small bowl, lightly whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla. Add butter and all but 1/2 cup of the milk/egg mixture to dry ingredients.

Beat at low speed until dry ingredients are moistened, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate mixture and add structure (if using a hand mixer use high speed). Turn mixer off and scrape sides and bottom of bowl.

Add remaining milk/egg mixture and beat at medium (or high) speed for an additional 30 seconds. Scrape bowl again.

Divide batter evenly into baking pans. Tap pans lightly on counter to remove any large air bubbles.

Place pans in oven on middle rack and bake until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with only a few loose crumbs, about 25 minutes. Due to variations in ovens, check at least 5 minutes before the stated time. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then invert onto cooling rack. Cool completely.

Split each cake into 2 layers and spread Grape Filling (reserving 1/2 cup for topping) between the layers. Spread Grape Frosting on sides and top of cake. Use remaining Grape Filling to decorate top of cake. Chill until serving time.

Grape Filling

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup grape juice
1 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Combine sugar, cornstarch and in medium saucepan. Stir in grape juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and butter until well blended. Pour into medium bowl and cover directly with plastic wrap. Cool completely.

Grape Frosting

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 egg whites
1/3 cup grape juice
1 teaspoon corn syrup

Combine all ingredients in large double boiler. Beat on low speed with electric mixer until well blended.

Place over simmering water and beat constantly, at high speed, for 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remove from heat and continue to beat until frosting is thick enough to spread.

* Substitute 2 cups (9 ounces) all-purpose flour for a cake that is a little coarser in texture.

**I always use unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, cut the salt to 1/4 teaspoon.

***Just kidding. There is no three-asterisk text. Made you look!