Cooking Through History: Making Ohio Pork Cake from the Black Family Reunion Cookbook
Welcome back to my YouTube series, where I take a deep dive into the recipes from the Black Family Reunion Cookbook, a collection of dishes that celebrate Black culinary traditions across generations. In this episode, I’m making something that might surprise you—Ohio Pork Cake.
Yes, you read that right. This is a cake made with pork. Specifically, salt pork. And while it might sound unusual today, this was once a popular recipe, especially in times when butter and other baking staples were hard to come by.
Why Salt Pork in a Cake?
At first glance, adding pork to a cake seems counterintuitive, but let’s think about what salt pork actually is. It’s essentially cured, fatty pork—similar to bacon, but without the smoky flavor. In historical baking, fat was a crucial element for adding moisture and tenderness to cakes. When butter or shortening wasn’t readily available, cooks got creative, and salt pork became a natural substitute.
In this recipe, the finely chopped salt pork is soaked in boiling water, which serves two purposes: it dissolves some of the salt (so our cake isn’t overwhelmingly salty) and helps soften the fat so it can distribute evenly throughout the batter. This step ensures that instead of biting into chunks of pork, the rendered fat blends seamlessly, making the cake rich and tender.
The Magic of Molasses and Baking Soda
The leavening in this recipe is a fascinating piece of baking chemistry. Instead of relying on baking powder or yeast, this cake uses a combination of molasses and baking soda. When baking soda (a base) is mixed with molasses (which contains natural acids), it creates carbon dioxide gas—helping the cake rise and giving it a light, fluffy texture. This chemical reaction is a tried-and-true method in old-fashioned baking, particularly in recipes where more modern leaveners weren’t available.
A Cake Born from Necessity
Ohio Pork Cake hails from a time when home cooks had to work with what they had. During periods of economic hardship, war rationing, or even just rural life, ingredients like butter, milk, and eggs weren’t always easy to come by. Recipes like this one are a testament to ingenuity—finding ways to make something delicious with minimal resources.
The use of warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves also tells a story. These spices were commonly used in early American baking, often to balance strong flavors and add depth. Here, they work beautifully with the molasses, giving the cake a rich, spiced aroma that feels perfect for fall or winter.
How Did It Turn Out?
Baking this cake felt like stepping back in time. The aroma of molasses and spices filled my kitchen, and when I pulled it out of the oven, it had a beautifully dark, rich color. The texture? Dense yet moist, thanks to the rendered fat from the salt pork. And despite what you might think, you don’t taste the pork at all—it simply works as the fat element, keeping the cake tender without leaving any savory or salty flavors behind.
If I were to make this again, I’d experiment with a few modern tweaks. First, I’d bake it in a large loaf pan instead of a square pan, then slice it into thin, half-inch pieces—almost like a tea cake. And for an extra touch of indulgence, I’d add a caramel icing on top. The deep molasses and spice flavors would pair beautifully with the buttery sweetness of caramel, making it feel a little more like a dessert you’d find in a cozy café.
Would I recommend trying it? Absolutely! It’s a unique and fascinating recipe that not only tastes good but also tells a story about resourcefulness and tradition.Watch the Full Episode
If you’re as intrigued by historical recipes as I am, be sure to check out the full video on my YouTube channel. I walk through the entire process, share my thoughts as I go, and (of course) taste-test the final product.
Have you ever baked with salt pork? Would you try this recipe? Let me know in the comments, and stay tuned for the next episode in this series!
Watch the Full Episode
If you’re as intrigued by historical recipes as I am, be sure to check out the full video on my YouTube channel. I walk through the entire process, share my thoughts as I go, and (of course) taste-test the final product.
Have you ever baked with salt pork? Would you try this recipe? Let me know in the comments, and stay tuned for the next episode in this series!
Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped salt pork
1 cup boiling water
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup molasses
1 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
3 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan (or a large loaf pan if you want to slice it thin).
Place chopped salt pork in a large bowl. Pour in boiling water and let cool to room temperature.
Add baking soda to molasses and stir until dissolved. Stir molasses, sugar, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves into the salt pork mixture.
Gradually stir in flour until just blended. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 375°F for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
