Last week's cake was an Election Day Cake. Conveniently, both Cake Day and Election Day fell last Tuesday.
Dr. Robinson made this cake specifically for Election Day, but for me, these events was purely coincidental. My dark, dirty secret is... I've never voted. I'm not even registered. Before you go off on your self-righteous tirade about how I'm irresponsible and dishonoring democracy and disrespecting those who fought for that right, etc etc etc, let me explain.
No one has ever told me I should vote just to vote, just to make use of this precious right so many people worldwide don't have. The encouragement to vote always comes with a caveat: vote for the RIGHT person. Which is never who you think is right, but always the candidate the person who is encouraging you to vote is supporting. I've seen political debates turn into heated arguments between corworkers, friends, siblings, and couples. There is a reason for that saying about "The two things you should never talk about in polite company are religion and politics." Nothing makes me quite as uncomfortable as when someone starts talking trash about a politician or a policy, from the War in Iraq to "Obamacare." It inevitably leads to a tense discussion, and I usually just leave the room. If asked my opinion on an issue, I rarely respond more than "yeah" or use the excuse "I haven't really been keeping up with it." Relationships are so hard to manage as it is. Why add further strain? Hearing how passionately friends and coworkers support certain candidates and policies and disdain others, I know I could never be able to admit voting in opposition to what they believe. I don't want that. I just want there to be peace.
In addition, I hate when people vote for something based purely on party lines. I think, if you're going to vote, you should be well-educated on the candidates or issues and vote based on what you truly believe, not based on the supporting party. No Republican agrees with everything the Republican party supports, and same for the Democrats. If I go to vote, I want to make sure I have done my research, I know the facts, I know both sides of the story. And right now, I just don't have time. I know I'll get reprimanded for that statement, but at this point in my life, I just don't have the time and energy. I hope one day I will, that one day I'll care a little more. But for now, I'm going to let the battle rage on without me.
Now, you may commence your tirade. But just know that, unless you can look me in the eye and tell me that you truly, honestly don't care who or what I vote for, that you'll never even ask because it doesn't matter as long as I'm voting and voting for what I believe, I'm not listening.
As for the Election Day Cake, it has quite a history. A colonial era cake, it was made in large loaves in homes in New England to feed friends and family who had to travel long distances to visit the voting booth and would stay with loved ones for the event. Apparently, Election Day in the early days of our nation was a time for celebrating and feasting. I like this image of Election Day much better than the tense and impersonal atmosphere of our current voting set up.
The cake is thick, moist, and bready, filled with spices and raisins, and topped with a buttery sugar crackle. The recipe makes two loaves, so I took one to work, and kept one around for breakfast for the many visitors I had last weekend, in town for a wedding, which I think is a much more appropriate occasion for celebration than Election Day in the modern era. It was well-received, and I think, despite the lack of voting, it fulfilled its purpose: to celebrate being with friends a loved ones. In a time when politics can pull people apart, a sweet cake can help remind us of the importance of coming together.
I totally know how you re:voting. I almost didn't vote this year because of time constraints, but the few issues/candidates that I felt confident in my research on them were things that I felt so passionately on that not voting would have made me feel awful. So I voted only on the things I had the time to research. I also think that since Facebook and the like has become part of our daily lives, we're exposed to so much more political tension than before. I hate it. People are mean and nasty in election season! Which is why my political views on Facebook are listed as "Hakuna Matata." And that cake sounds so tasty!
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