Cup cake (1828) -- another 1828

[Joel S. Berson]

Early American Newspapers gives me 28 hits for "cupcake" before 1841,
but they are full of ... no, not cream, nor what you're expecting
(the leavings of the pony), but false positives.  One "caresses" and
several "Captain"s, "superior"s, and "Chesapeake"s (well, the last is
somewhat close!)  But the last of the 28 is a success, equidating the OED:

The luxury of an old fashioned tea party, consisted of a cup of
souchong, plate of toast, grated pot cheese, quince sweetmeats,
family ginger-bread, (cup cake was a great treat,) now and then a
sweet short cake hot from the griddle, all served upon a neatly
polished cherry table around which the company sat, and partook with
such freedom as at that period, was the surest guarantee of
disinterested friendship.  How different are assemblages of the kind
in our day.

Connecticut Courant, 28 Jan. 1828, page 2, col. 6.

[The article is "from the N. York National Advocate" and begins
"Ancient and Modern--When we contemplate how materially times have
altered, within fifty years ..." -- hinting that one should look for
cup cakes in New York as early as circa 1780!?]

Joel

At 10/1/2007 06:15 AM, Stephen Goranson wrote:
>Quoting Barry Popik <bapopik at GMAIL.COM>:
>
>>Someone has suggested the "cup cake" as the official New York State
>>snack. Yes, legislators really do have nothing better to do.
>>...
>>I thought I'd posted stuff here before, but I guess not. Does anyone
>>have pre-1840s "cup cake" cites? How's 19th Century U.S. Newspapers?
>>...
>
>Apparently the earliest in 19th C US Newspapers is
>The North American and Daily Advertiser, (Philadelphia, PA) Thursday,
>April 09,
>1840; Issue 325; col E
>     City News Reported for the North American
>Category: News
>Children poisoned....a small custard pie and a cup cake....
>
>Stephen
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org