We've heard that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. We know from box socials that exchanging food has long been an efficient way to facilitate matchmaking. In olden times, if a young man took a shine to a woman, it helped to know whether she could cook. That was one of the reasons that the Lancashire courting cake became a tradition in England. Baking a cake was a clear sign of affection and generosity for your intended, and the strawberries that decorated it looked like little hearts. These cakes are still a tradition in Lancashire, though they have changed a bit. Modern Lancashire courting cakes are layers of sponge cake and whipped cream, topped with fresh strawberries. Oh yeah, like a strawberry shortcake! And even though we don't use strawberry shortcake for dating purposes, we love to get one. The original courting cake, however, had jam between the layers instead of whipped cream, which held up better in the days before refrigeration. Read of the traditions behind the Lancashire courting cake at Gastro Obscura.
(Image credit: stevejscearce)