<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="TextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang= "EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;One of the things people in Europe and in America used to do to thwart a witch's spells was to bake a witch cake. It sounds&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="normaltextrun"&gt;sort of good&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;, being a cake and all, but you know that having the word "witch" in its name means something&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2Themed SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="normaltextrun"&gt;has to&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;be wrong with it.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;And there&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;was&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;something wrong with it.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2Themed SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="normaltextrun"&gt;Despite the fact that&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;this supernatural dessert was meant to be used&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class="TextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" lang= "EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;against&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "TextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="normaltextrun"&gt;witches, its ingredients left something to be desired: rye meal,&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;ashes&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW105112562 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;and the victim's urine.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "TextRun SCXW108970171 BCX8" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="none"&gt;&lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW108970171 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="normaltextrun"&gt;On this episode,&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class="NormalTextRun SCXW108970171 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;we'll&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW108970171 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt;show you how a little urine in your cake can either curse you or cleanse you.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class= "NormalTextRun SCXW108970171 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle= "normaltextrun"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span class="EOP SCXW108970171 BCX8" data-ccp-props= "{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The Unusual History of Every Thing

Melanie Dellas and Karen Lacy

Witch Cakes: How Urine in a Cake Led to the Salem Witch Trials

NOV 7, 20238 MIN
The Unusual History of Every Thing

Witch Cakes: How Urine in a Cake Led to the Salem Witch Trials

NOV 7, 20238 MIN

Description

One of the things people in Europe and in America used to do to thwart a witch's spells was to bake a witch cake. It sounds sort of good, being a cake and all, but you know that having the word "witch" in its name means something has to be wrong with it. And there was something wrong with it. Despite the fact that this supernatural dessert was meant to be used against witches, its ingredients left something to be desired: rye meal, ashes and the victim's urine. On this episode, we'll show you how a little urine in your cake can either curse you or cleanse you.