Independence Cake : A Revolutionary Confection Inspired by Amelia Simmons, Whose True History Is Unfortunately Unknown by Deborah Hopkinson

Amelia Simmons is the woman who wrote America's first cookbook.  No one knows anything about her but this story imagines her life...

Provato Marketing sent me a galley of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published May 9th.

When Amelia is orphaned she's taken in by a woman who has six small boys.  She's exhausted from trying to keep up with them.  Amelia takes over many duties and keeps herself busy and the boys fed.  All is going well until she gets bored.  Then she decides to take up baking.  Oh my! The boys love "testing" her new pastries.  Even the neighbors are willing to help out.

She experiments with corn meal and an herb-like baking powder to make new dishes with American ingredients.  She even bakes a cake for the new president, George Washington who says it's delicious.  You get her recipe for it in this story but I don't think you'll want to make it since it made up thirteen cakes...

This is a fun way to learn about history and imagine what life was like in the early days of America.