soul cake

English

Alternative forms

• soulcake, soul-cake

Etymology

Probably from Middle English sǒuel, souvel, suvel (“food eaten with bread; food in general”), from Old English sufel, sufol (“anything (especially relish) eaten with bread; sowl”), from Proto-Germanic *suflą (“entremets, viands”), from Proto-Indo-European *seu-, *sew- (“juice; moisture; rain”). + cake. The practice of begging for a soul cake is related to begging for condiments (sowl or soul) from wealthy neighbours, with a Christian re-interpretation.

Noun

soul cake (plural soul cakes)

1. A cake seasoned with spices or raisins given to beggars on All Soul's Eve (Halloween).
   • 1981, Geoffrey Scard, Squire and tenant: life in rural Cheshire, 1760-1900, page 93:

     All Souls' Day was celebrated by souling, a custom going back to pre-Reformation days: soul cakers and mummers toured the village begging for a soul cake — a plain, round, flat cake seasoned with spices.

   • 1992, Joanna Bogle, A Book of Feasts and Seasons, →ISBN, page 174:

     You tell them to say "A soul cake, a soul cake, I pray thee, good mistress, a soul cake", which is the old North Country refrain.

   • 2018, Sharon Ely Pearson, Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God in Autumn, →ISBN, page 133:

     Begging at the door for candy grew from an ancient English custom of knocking at doors to beg for a “soul cake” in return for which the beggars promised to pray for the dead of the household.