Why is pound cake a southern food?

Question

PLEASE GIVE FACTS NOT OPINIONS

THANK YOU!

Answer 1

Pound cake

Food historians generally agree that pound cake is a Northern European recipe named for the equal weight of its ingredients. Recipes printed in contemporary American cookbooks follow the same general proportions. The "pound" connection is not obvious today because we now measure with cups, not weight. American cookbooks printed in the early decades of the 20th century helped cooks bridge the gap by including both sets of measurements.

Historic evidence confirms recipes for pound cake first surface in 18th century English and American cookbooks. Then, as now, there were variations on the recipe. Early recipes sometimes included alcohol and currants. Many are flavored with a hint lemon. Then, as now, proportions varied. Many recipes for pound cake call for more or less than a pound! Cup cakes & 1234 cake are related.

"Pound-cake. A rich cake so called as originally containing a pound (or equal weight) of each of the principal ingredients, flour, butter, sugar, fruit, etc."
---Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Volume XII (p. 247)

"Pound cake. A Plain white-cake loaf whose name derives from the traditional weight of the ingredients--one pound of flour, one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, and one pound of eggs--although these measurements are generally not followed in most modern recipes. Its first printed mention was in 1740 according to Webster's Ninth, and it has remained a popular and simple cake to make to this day."
---Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 254)

"Pound cake a cake of creamed type, is so named because the recipe calls for an equal weight of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs; in old recipes, a pound of each, making a large, rich cake...Pound cake has been favoured in both Britain and the USA for over two centuries. Recipes for it were already current early in the 19th century...The German Sandtorte is similar to pound cake; and a French cake, quatre quarts (four quarters), uses the same principles..."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 631)

Answer 2

I couldn't find anything that had to deal with the nutritional anthropology of pound cake.I have to assume that pound cake was bore out of the things that Southerners had on hand.I also think like most things in the South that it could be possible could have come from the slaves.Also I know that the pound cake fell out of favor during the depression.A true pound cake from my great grandma who died at 103 says that it was a literal pound of everything butter sugar flour..Hope that helps

Answer 3

In the south you will always get dessert! Pound cake is a great staple to the many different desserts that you may find yourself being served. It will work plain, with fruit, with sauce, layered, crumbled, toasted...on and on. Pound cake is limitless in it's versitility, and always yummy. Southern folk like ehm...love their dessert, and so...it's known as a southern food. As far a actual facts go...I heard once that it has to do with cost not weight , it was originally sold at fairs in europe for one pound (currency).

Answer 4

"Nonnie Waller's Traditional Southern® . . . a scrumptious, made-from-scratch, Southern-style pound cake, or our delectable truffles and chocolates, with a fresh flower nosegay nesting in the middle, packaged in a luxurious fabric-covered hatbox."

"
Southern Living 1997 Annual Recipes
by Southern Living Magazine
Every single recipe from 1997. Plus, entertaining ideas..."


I would say that many people who like pound cake consider it a Southern recipe.

Answer 5

The original ingredients were
1 pound of: eggs
sugar
flour
buttermilk and assorted amounts of varied spices. The only people who had access to all ingredients at all times were southern farmers.. This info cam from Martha Stewart on her pre-prison TV show

Answer 6

because that's where it started. you really don't hear people from the north ( I was raised in NYC and I know I didnt') going ga ga over pound cake unless they had relative who were from the south (my mom).

Answer 7

cause it has 1 pound of butter & 1 pound of eggs... Delicious

Answer 8

don't know but who cares its so good so is fried chicken and waffles lol even collard greens

Answer 9

Didn't know that it was!

Answer 10

is it?