The giving and receiving of soul cakes started in the Middle Ages and is widely seen as the origin of trick or treating. Soul cakes are small cakes traditionally baked as a way to honor ancestors, departed loved ones, and celebrate the beauty of life on Samhain, the festival which gave us modern day Halloween. The giving of a soul cake represents the liberation of a soul from purgatory. These small round cakes made of flour and spices were given as offerings and were generally made with ingredients like oats or wheat, honey, butter or oil for sustenance; salt for wisdom; cinnamon to help banish negative energies; nutmeg to bring prosperity into your home; and ginger for healing.

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