A Layered Christmas Cupcake

A Christmas Cupcake



       I hosted our chapter of The Questers (an international group devoted to the study and love of antiques, architecture, etc) for our Christmas meeting and presented a program on the history of Christmas cards, the Christmas tree, and Christmas decorations. Afterwards, we dined on the funny personal-sized cakes that lined the tables.

The Diningroom Table:  greens, an April Cornell tablecloth, nativity figures
(both ones purchased in Paris and vintage ones found at garage sales), candles & cupcakes.

      

 

       I made a batch of white cupcakes (swirled with red food coloring) and a batch of homemade chocolate cupcakes.  I then cut them lengthwise through their middles and joined layers of white cake and chocolate cake with green buttercream frosting.  I topped them with whipped and cooked Divinity frosting and a decorative Christmas pick.  So easy!
       I think my favorite part of the research was discovering that when Christmas cards really increased in popularity (during the Victorian time period), the first cards printed tended to be similar to their Valentines: sentiments for lovers, pictures of summer scenes, Spring flowers, and layers of lace!

Would you have imagined that such a summer garden scene was a Christmas card image?!?
 

       I also learned that one of the first written records of a decorated Christmas tree was in 1605 when a visitor to Strasbourg, Germany described a tree bedecked in apples (probably due to the Morality play of Adam and Eve in Eden that was the most popular of the plays performed on Dec 24th back in medieval times: since it was the middle of winter, only evergreens were green so they would attach apples to them to be the tree of forbidden fruit for the paradise play), gilded candies, paper roses (to symbolize Mary), and thin wafers (symbolizing holy communion). 

       In additional research (that I didn't use for my presentation since there is simply so much that is fascinating about Christmas history) is that St. Francis of Assisi created the first creche scene.  Fascinating stuff!