Queen Elizabeth cake is a lightly sweet, moist, and low-fat date cake, topped with a brown sugar, butter and broiled coconut mixture.[1] "Queen Elizabeth cake" is named after the Queen of United Kingdom, Elizabeth II, and may have first been made in 1953 for her coronation. Another account holds that it was invented for the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Despite its unsettled origin, the dessert gained national popularity in the 1950s and remains a Canadian staple.[1]
Overview
editQueen Elizabeth cake is a dessert cake prepared with sugar, flour, dates, eggs, and butter, and topped with a sugary icing infused with shredded coconut.[2][3][4] The cake is named after Elizabeth II.[2][5] It is a popular cake in Canada.[2] The coconut topping is prepared by broiling or grilling.[4] The icing is prepared using a caramel base.[6] The dates used are chopped,[7] and give the cake a dark coloration. Chopped walnuts or other types of nuts are sometimes used atop the cake.[4][8][9] Queen Elizabeth cake is low in fat compared to other cakes,[5] and has a moist consistency.[3] It is sometimes served accompanied with tea.[10] The cake is common at farmers markets and bake sales.[5] It is sometimes purveyed at pastry shops in Canada.[11]
History
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An account of Queen Elizabeth cake's origins is that it was prepared for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.[5] During this time, food rationing still existed in Great Britain, and a cake with few ingredients was in order.[5] Another account is that the cake was invented for the 1937 coronation of King George VI and the Queen Mother Queen Elizabeth.[5]
A recipe for Queen Elizabeth cake was published by the Coronation Cook Book in 1953 in celebration of Elizabeth II's coronation.[8]
See also
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References
edit- 1 2 "Queen Elizabeth Cake". Seasons and Suppers. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
- 1 2 3 Castella, K. (2012). A World of Cake. Storey Publishing. p. pt463. ISBN 978-1-60342-446-2.
- 1 2 DeMontis, Rita (27 March 2014). "Be square at sweet bakery". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- 1 2 3 Pepin, S. (2007). La Belle Aurore. Lulu Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-4357-0306-3.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Treble, Patricia (2 June 2012). "Making a Queen Elizabeth cake (well, on the sixth attempt)". Maclean's. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ↑ Chesterman, Lesley (21 May 2014). "Lesley Chesterman's Fine Dining: La Grenouille keeps it simple in Montreal". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ↑ Redsie (8 January 2007). "Queen Elizabeth Cake Recipe". Food.com. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
From Ricardo's magazine.
- 1 2 "Try dates in rich retro recipes like oat cake with broiled coconut topping". Toronto Sun. 21 August 2012. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ↑ Tartan, B. (2000). North Carolina and Old Salem Cookery. Chapel Hill Books. Raleigh, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 266–267. ISBN 978-0-8078-6707-5. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ↑ Katz, CJ (16 September 2014). "Taste Regina: Monthly tea is all about tradition". Regina Leader-Post. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ↑ Johnston, David (27 May 2011). "Summer Hops: Picking squash at Centre d'interprétation de la courge". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 6 February 2016.