Soul Cakes - Baking for the Dead

The history nerd in me loves learning about ancient traditions and understanding the origins of our modern festivals and celebrations. 

The Celtic festival of Samhain (also known as ‘All Hallows’ ‘All Souls’ or ‘Feast of the Dead’) has been celebrated around 1st November since pre-Christian times.

 It was a day dedicated to honouring the ancestors, and traditionally, bonfires were kept alight all night to light the souls’ way to heaven.  

Soul Cakes are small round spiced cakes, made for All Hallows to celebrate and commemorate the dead. 

In medieval times, children and the poor would go from door to door, the night before All Hallows offering their prayers for the souls of the dead in exchange for alms or soul cakes. This was called ‘Souling’. …..and you don’t have to look too hard to spot the roots of modern-day Trick or Treating in the ancient tradition of Souling on All Hallows Eve (aka Halloween)! 

I like making soul Cakes at this time of year as a practical and delicious kitchen ritual to honour those I love who have died.

Below is a recipe for Soul Cakes if you fancy making some yourself…Despite being called ‘cakes’ they’re actually more like biscuits – and taste somewhere between shortbread and Welsh cakes!

SOUL CAKE RECIPE – makes approx. 15

🍪 Cream together:100 g salted, softened butter, 100 g caster sugar and 2 medium egg yolks. 

🍪 Then add: 250 g plain flour1 pinch saffron (or turmeric for the colour)1 tsp ground mixed spice,1 pinch ground nutmeg and 50 g raisins.

🍪Mix together the ingredients to form a soft, pliable dough. You may need to add a tiny splash of milk to help it all bind together. 

🍪Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently roll out it to about 1cm thick. Use a round cutter to cut out as many cakes as you can, re-rolling the leftover dough.

🍪 Mark a cross in the top of each cake with a knife.

🍪Put them onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 180°C / 360°F / GM 4 for 20-25 mins until slightly darker in colour and firm to touch.

(Note: one year I made the mistake of trying to give these out instead of sweets to our Trick or Treaters……...I do not recommend it - turns out modern kids just want Haribo!)