Welcome to another Folklore Wednesday! This week’s topic leans a little more Halloween-themed- because of course, it’s my favorite time of year.
Before plastic pumpkins and fun-size candy bars, before ghost-shaped Reese’s and glow sticks, there were soul cakes– small round pastries spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, marked with a cross, and given to children and the poor in exchange for prayers for the dead.
The practice dates back to the Middle Ages and Souling, an early Christian tradition tied to All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day. People- especially children and the poor- would go door to door offering to pray for the souls of a household’s departed loved ones in exchange for these simple cakes. It was both an act of charity and remembrance.
But like much of Halloween, Souling has roots that reach further back, into Celtic Samhain– when the veil between worlds thinned and the living honored their dead with offerings of food and drink. Over time, pagan and Christian traditions blended, and the humble soul cake became a bridge between them- a symbol of generosity, remembrance, and the ever-turning wheel of the year.
When European immigrants brought these customs to America, the old souling and guising traditions slowly transformed. Costumes became playful disguises rather than spiritual symbols. Prayers became jokes, songs, or tricks. And the cakes? They became candy.
And growing up, we had our own little candy system. My grandmother always got the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, my mom claimed the banana Laffy Taffy (you know- back when it still had sprinkles), and my grandfather got the Smarties. At the time, I didn’t understand why he liked those little chalky discs, but now that I’m older, I get it. My favorites? Shock Tarts, sour candies, and caramels- the more mouth-puckering, the better. And my little brother, the Yard Yeti? He loved the Hershey’s chocolate bars.
Still, I like to imagine that some small spark of that older kindness remains- that even now, when a child holds out their hand for a treat, they’re echoing centuries of human connection. A reminder that remembrance can be sweet, and generosity can be shared in sugar and laughter.
If you want to try your hand at an old-fashioned Soul Cake recipe this October, here’s a simple traditional base:
🕯️ Soul Cakes
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
- A splash of milk to bind
Mix, cut into rounds, score with a cross, and bake at 375°F until golden. Eat warm, think of those who came before, and maybe save one for any wandering spirits who might stop by.
Because some traditions- no matter how much they change- still taste a little like home.
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Happy Folklore Wednesday, friends.
And if you try the soul cakes, take pictures and tag me! Tell me how you like them- I’m thinking of making some too.
-Sky, The Crippled Cryptid
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