How Old-School 'Sad Cake' Got Its Name

We have just the thing to turn that frown upside down. Ironically, that thing is called sad cake. Contrary to its glum name, sad cake is actually quite the treat. Though exact recipes vary, a typical sad cake is made with Bisquick, eggs, butter, and brown sugar. Some recipes call for pecans and/or coconut. It's a dense, super-sweet confection with a texture similar to a brownie or blondie and a gooey, butter-cake taste.

So, how did it come to be named sad cake? The dour name comes not from any emotion it might inspire, but from the way it collapses after baking. The term comes from a concept in English baking. Originally, "sad" meant a baked good that failed to rise in the oven, or else entirely flopped once pulled from the heat. When it comes to sad cakes, this collapse is entirely intentional and pivotal to its dense texture (which comes from the use of Bisquick, a mix that includes fat, flour, a leavening agent, and salt). It's most often used for pancakes, biscuits, or waffles, though it also comes in handy for other dishes, such as the super-retro cheeseburger pie. This mix paired with the addition of rich ingredients, such as brown sugar, butter, and eggs, gives it its brownie- or blondie-like texture. It's absolutely delicious — even if it is a bit sad looking.

The sad cake became a staple during the Great Depression since it was easy to make without milk, and could be made with inexpensive boxed baking mixes. Though the dessert fell out of fashion in the decades that followed, it did still appear occasionally in cook books and periodicals. The cake was also a staple for many families, who took the recipe and adjusted it to fit their individual tastes. Adding in fillings, such as coconut or pecans, is common, and moves this treat close to the taste of the Kentucky classic sawdust pie. In recent years, home cooks across TikTok have taken to making the oddly named dessert.

However, this sad cake is not the only treat to bear this name. Across the pond in Northern England, sad cakes aren't a cake at all, but more akin to a cookie. These cookie-esque cakes are filled with currants and date back to the 1800s at the very least. They are often served with tea, and are a working class staple in the region. Also known as Chorley cakes, they can sometimes be found in U.K. grocery stores. This pastry is miles different from the American treat of the same name, but looks just as delicious. Why not try your hand at both and see which makes you happiest?