According to the New England Historical Society, the first recipe for American election cake appeared in 1796 in the first U.S. cookbook, Amelia Simmons’ “American Cookery.”Back then, the ...

Election Cake seemingly never gained much traction beyond New England, and by the early 1900s, it had faded into obscurity as women’s suffrage gained traction.

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch square (light colored) metal baking pan. Cut two sheets of parchment paper about 8 1/2 inches wide and 15 inches long.