Firecake facts for kids

Firecake or Fire cake was a simple type of bread eaten by soldiers long ago. It was a "quick bread," meaning it didn't need yeast to rise, so it could be made fast. Soldiers ate firecakes during important conflicts like the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. These basic cakes were made from just flour, water, and salt. They were cooked right on a hot rock near a fire or buried in the warm ashes.

What Were Firecakes Made Of?

Making firecakes was very simple. Soldiers mixed flour, water, and salt together. They added just enough water to the flour and salt to create a thick, wet dough.

How Were Firecakes Cooked?

Once the dough was ready, soldiers would shape it into flat, thick cakes. Each cake was usually about the size of a hand. To cook them, they would place the cakes on a flat stone. This stone was then put upright next to a fire, or the cakes were placed directly into the warm ashes.

After cooking, firecakes often had a burnt, black outside but were still soft and doughy inside. If soldiers needed to keep the cakes for a long time, they would bake them until they were very dry and hard. This made them last longer without spoiling.

Why Soldiers Ate Firecakes

Firecakes were not a favorite meal for soldiers. They usually ate them only when their regular food supplies ran out. If the army's supply system couldn't give soldiers proper bread, they would instead receive flour. Then, the soldiers had to make their own firecakes to eat. It was a way to make sure they had something to fill their stomachs, even if it wasn't very tasty!