Wild Seed and Maple Cream Fertility Cakes

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I love the feeling of potential that seems to thrum from the earth in late winter. As the sweet saps rise in the trees, I know that seeds dropped onto bare soils have been gently soaking all winter and are just waiting for the right warmth to germinate. The earth gives us a first little taste of the wild proliferation soon to come with the sweetness of boiled sap and the energy of wild seeds. There is nothing quite like the billows of sweet tree steam boiled off to make maple syrup or of digging in the pantry to unearth a delightful array of flavors and textures to play with on those still-brisk days. 

There are many traditions and celebrations surrounding fertility this time of year, too. Perhaps the first to spring to the mind of many is Valentine’s Day, when we exchange a wide variety of gifts or little rituals focused on romance and connection. But long before Valentine’s Day, there was Imbolc, the point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox that marked the very beginning of the fertile season. It was often at this time that the first milk or eggs of the year were available and were honored in gratitude and hope for a plentiful year to come. 

As my friend at Gather Victoria so eloquently puts it: 

“Feasting at Imbolc was all about offering thanks for a fertile crop to come. Foods symbolizing the power of the sun like milk, cream, butter, eggs and honey were used in custard tarts and cream cakes. There were often pancakes (round and golden like the sun) or the Bonnach Bride or Bannock of Bride (an oatcake made with fruits and nuts) which attracted health and prosperity for the coming year. The Bonnach Bride was also eaten in the fields so that a piece could be thrown over the shoulder to honour Brigid and nourish the land. Symbolizing the growth of new life, seeds are also traditionally on the menu, as are all types of seeded bread and buns.” 

When we hear about fertility in the context of ancient practices, we may be thinking of it in a pretty literal sense: the fertility of crops sprouting and growing, of new calves born, of plenty of eggs. We also think of it in regards to our humanity; the image of a pregnant belly growing as the new life within develops.

Now that most of us don’t need to devote all of our energy to tending crops and the world doesn’t need a huge proliferation of new babies, we are free to explore fertility in a more metaphorical or symbolic way as well. Fertility can mean the birth of new creativity, the sprouting of new ideas, the fruit of your labor. Being fertile means being parent to something: a business, perhaps, or a home or a project. 

These cakes are the perfect symbol of late winter’s hope and fertility. They’re made with curly dock flour, which gives them a hearty, toasted flavor. Every rust-colored stalk of curly dock produces hundreds upon hundreds of seeds, which has made it a long-standing symbol of fertility in many cultural traditions. Those eye-grabbing spires are still poking out above the snow. I like to gather curly dock seeds in late fall, but as long as they don’t smell musty or look damaged you can still gather them now as well! Just make sure they are clean, then spread them out to dry completely. Toast until fragrant in an oven at 350F (about 10 minutes), then grind them, chaff and all, for a fiber-rich flour with a gorgeous rich brown color. 

This cake is then stuffed full of all kinds of seeds for texture, flavor, and crunch. Seeds bring their own magic of potential to the batter and release a delicious aroma as the mini cakes bake. Finally, the cakes are finished off with a drizzle of pure maple cream. 

These are not the seed cakes made famous by J.R.R. Tolkien’s character Bilbo Baggins, who feeds a hungry band of dwarves with cakes delicately flavored with just a pinch of caraway. Nor are they the cakes you might see on the table during the Jewish celebration of Purim, most often delicately flavored with poppyseeds. These seed cakes are about heartiness, celebration, and, of course, fertility. The seeds included have many health benefits in addition to their delightful flavors, making these cakes an even more special treat. The finished cakes would make a great gift to a friend you know is wanting to start a family. They would be equally suitable to someone nurturing a new idea to bring forth into the world. Picture what new life you would like to breathe into the world as you enjoy this cake, and the seeds of magic will be planted for you, too. 

Oddly enough, these cakes were actually inspired by my new-found obsession with maple cream. Maple cream is just maple syrup that has been whipped up into a thicker spread, about the consistency of soft peanut butter. I could eat the silky maple magic by the spoonful, but am attempting restraint by saving it for special recipes such as this one. You could use an icing instead, but I strongly recommend maple cream if you can get your hands on some. I got mine at this delightful shop. 

Seed Cake Fertility Ritual: 

If you would like to use this recipe to set an intention or honor your fertility, the process is simple. Before you begin, write down what you want to give birth to - be it an idea, project, or child. Slip that paper under your mixing bowl. Hold it in your mind as you stir together your ingredients, mixing that intention right into the batter. When it comes the time to add the seeds, pause with each addition and picture each kind of seed as a step towards your hope. If you give these cakes as a gift, tell the recipient to picture their own fertility hopes as they eat it. 

Seed cake ingredients: 

This recipe is for mini bundt cakes. I used these pans. 

2 c. cake flour (or all-purpose flour - my gluten-free baking mix works great here too!) 

½ c. curly dock flour (or buckwheat flour)

½ tsp. Salt

2 ¼ tsp. Baking powder

¼ tsp. Ground Queen Anne’s Lace seeds

½ tsp. Ground fenugreek

½ tsp. Freshly-ground nutmeg

¼ c. poppyseeds

1 Tbs. caraway seeds 

2 Tbs. stinging nettle seeds (or sesame seeds)

¼ c. hemp hearts

1 c. butter, at room temperature

4 eggs, at room temperature

Zest of one large orange 

2 Tbs. amaretto or vanilla

1 c. maple syrup

1 c. yogurt 

Maple cream, for glaze

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a mini bundt cake pan thoroughly. 

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, salt, baking powder, and ground spices. 

3. In a pour-able mixing cup, whisk together the amaretto, maple syrup, orange zest, and yogurt. 

4. Add the seeds to a heavy-bottomed frying pan, one kind at a time (don’t forget to envision each as a step towards your fertility hope.) Heat the pan over medium-low heat until the seeds just start to get fragrant, then pour them into a cool bowl to stop their cooking. 

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until it is smooth and slightly fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 

6. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add ½ of the wet mixture and mix until incorporated. Continue alternating, beginning and ending with the dry mix. Gently fold in all the seeds, then fill your mini cake pans ¾ full. Tap them on the counter a few times to remove any big air bubbles and help the batter settle into the designs of the pan. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

7. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then carefully invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Drizzle the tops with maple cream. Enjoy!

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