AKA Wild Dreams Cake
*This recipe is inspired from a recipe called Dream Cake shared by @foraged.by.fern on Instagram.
I have been searching for a recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed for a while now. How lucky am I to have come up an incredible recipe that also includes a new plant friend, Mugwort.
This loaf turns out so moist and delicious, it can easily be made by omitting the mugwort altogther. This is important to know as Mugwort has been used as an abortifacient and can stimulate uterine contractions. It is generally not recommended for consumption by women who are pregnant or trying to conceive. I am personally using this as an herbal ally in my holitsic contraceptive plan and to support my health as I flow through my cycle.
Before we dive into the recipe, let's look at Artemisia Vulgaris, Mugwort.
European Traditions:
Medicinal Uses: In medieval Europe, mugwort was widely used for its medicinal properties. It was believed to help with digestive issues, menstrual problems, and to expel worms. It was also used to treat colds and fevers.
Protective Herb: Mugwort was often placed in doorways and under pillows as a protective herb against evil spirits and bad dreams. In some regions, it was worn as an amulet for protection during travel.
Ritual Uses: Mugwort was burned as an incense in pagan rituals to cleanse spaces and enhance psychic abilities. It was also used in midsummer rituals and was believed to protect against wild animals and misfortune.
Asian Traditions:
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): In China, mugwort, known as Ai Ye, has been used for thousands of years. It is most famously used in moxibustion, a practice where mugwort is burned on or near the skin to stimulate acupuncture points, believed to treat various ailments, including pain and digestive issues. Mugwort is also used in herbal teas and tinctures to warm the body and promote circulation.
Japanese Tradition: In Japan, mugwort, known as yomogi, is used in a similar way to Chinese medicine. It is also used in food, particularly in making yomogi mochi, a type of rice cake infused with mugwort for its health benefits.
3. North American Indigenous Cultures:
Healing and Protection: Indigenous peoples of North America used mugwort for a variety of purposes, including as a remedy for colds, fevers, and digestive disorders. It was also used in sweat lodge ceremonies to purify the body and spirit.
Dreamwork: Similar to European traditions, some Indigenous cultures used mugwort to enhance dreams and for protection during sleep.
Modern Uses:
Herbal Medicine: Today, mugwort continues to be used in herbal medicine for its digestive and menstrual benefits. It’s also popular in natural sleep aids and dream pillows due to its reputation for enhancing dreams.
Culinary Uses: While not as common, mugwort is used in some culinary traditions, particularly in Asia, where it is added to rice cakes, soups, and other dishes for its flavor and health benefits.
Spiritual and Metaphysical Uses: Mugwort remains a popular herb in modern spiritual practices, often used in smudging, teas, and incense to enhance psychic abilities and protection.
This beautiful herb (have you ever seen it dance in the wind with its shades of green, silver, dark puple and pink!?) and it's affects on dreaming is explored in more detail in this article by Danielle Prohom Olson. (The article also contains a beautiful Mugwort tincture, root decoctiona and recipe that I'm going to try)
In regards to using mugwort to enhance dreaming during women's premenstrual and bleeding phases, she says:
'' I find this fascinating considering many different cultures give special importance to dreaming during their bleeding time. Spider is the author of Songs of Bleeding and writes that “in ancient times, the women’s Bleeding Lodge was a structure set apart from the rest of the community where women would go to dream and communicate with the Ancestors.”
Also interesting is the work of Felicity Oswell. She suggests that dreams when shared with others and “acknowledged for their messages” are an active ingredient in what she calls “menstrual alchemy”. Oswell observes that dreaming might also be the cure for undesirable effects of premenstrual syndrome, for “menstrual distress seems to be at a minimum when dreaming and the sharing of dreams is at a maximum”.
I also love this exerpt:
''Considering her long affinity for the female reproductive system, enhancing all aspects of the menstrual cycle from menarche to menopause – why isn’t Artemisia more widely in use?
Well, Stuart Dean has an interesting viewpoint. In his article Artemis As Artemisia: Ancient Female Spirituality & Modern Medicine, Dean writes that Artemisia’s long-standing use by women “contributed to its marginalization and neglect by a medical profession dominated by men”. And he adds that “Artemisia’s very ubiquity is another contributing factor to what looks suspiciously like willful ignorance about it. For if modern science were to confirm the efficacy to which its traditional medicinal usage attests, then it would mean that those profiteering off of its more expensive and more risky alternatives would be out of business”.''
Finally, I would love to add the dieties that Mugwort is usually associated with.
Artemis (Greek Mythology):
Goddess of the Hunt, Wilderness, and Childbirth: The botanical name of mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris, is derived from Artemis, the Greek goddess. Artemis is often associated with the protection of women, particularly during childbirth, and mugwort was historically used in this context to ease labor and promote menstrual health. As a wild plant associated with the wilderness, mugwort also embodies the untamed and protective nature of Artemis.
2. Diana (Roman Mythology):
Goddess of the Hunt, Moon, and Nature: Diana, the Roman counterpart to Artemis, is similarly connected to mugwort. As a goddess of the moon, she is associated with nocturnal and mystical practices, including the enhancement of dreams, which is one of the reasons mugwort is used in dream pillows and rituals.
3. Hecate (Greek Mythology):
Goddess of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Underworld: Hecate, another Greek goddess, is linked to mugwort through her associations with magic and protection. Mugwort’s use in rituals to ward off evil spirits and its role in enhancing psychic abilities aligns with Hecate's domain over magic and the supernatural.
4. Freyja (Norse Mythology):
Goddess of Love, Fertility, and Magic: Freyja, a Norse goddess, is also connected with mugwort due to her associations with fertility, magic, and protection. Mugwort was sometimes used in Norse rituals, particularly those related to fertility and divination, which are aspects of Freyja’s domain.
5. Aphrodite (Greek Mythology):
Goddess of Love and Beauty: Aphrodite is occasionally associated with mugwort because of its connection to women's health and its use in beauty rituals. Mugwort was believed to enhance beauty and was sometimes used in love spells, aligning with Aphrodite’s influence over love and attraction.
6. Brigid (Celtic Mythology):
Goddess of Healing, Poetry, and Smithcraft: In Celtic tradition, Brigid is connected with mugwort through its healing properties. As a goddess of healing, mugwort’s role in herbal medicine and its protective qualities resonate with Brigid’s attributes.
I find Mugwort to be a special friend as I develop my work in women's support and healing!
I could go on now about the magic of poppy seeds too...which i added to the original recipe for an extra boost to dreaming and psychic nourishment but I will save that for another day.
OKAY
Now to the recipe!
See notes at the bottom for alternatives!
Mugwort Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf - AKA Wild Dreams Loaf
Ingredients:
4 stems of Mugwort leaves (and flowers if you have them) about 70 g*see notes
180 ml oat milk *
3 Tbsp lemons juice (approx one lemon)
150 g sugar *see notes
3 Tbsp lemon zest (approx one and a half lemons)
200 g mild olive oil
200g yoghurt
2 eggs
360g light spelt flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powde
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 360F
Grease a loaf tin (I have used different shapes and sizes and it has always worked out. I love the long skinny tin!)
Wash 4 stems worth of leaves (approx 70g) and steam them for 5 min (I drink the leftover water as tea). Transfer to ice cold water to stop them cooking *see notes. Add them to a blender with the oat milk and blend until smooth. Enjoy that dark green colour! Strain through a sieve. Add 3 Tbsp lemon juice to the green milk, stir and allow to sit for 10 minutes. *see notes
In another bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. (A magical step and smell is divine!) Add the olive oil, yoghurt and eggs and stir to combine. Then add then milk mixture and stir again.
(You could mix the dry ingredients seperately but it has worked for me to keep adding to the milk and sugar mixture). Add the poppy seeds, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until just fully combined.
Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 50-60 min until a fork can be inserted and comes out clean. Cool completely before eating.
*original recipe suggested 2 stems of mugwort for 70 g of leaves but I generally need 4 stems especially when the plant is flowering.
*I sometimes skip the cooling of the mugwort leaves after steaming and I don't notice a change in the final result.
*I tried the recipe with regular cow's milk and the milk curdled with the addition of the lemon juice. I thought this might not be a problem in the end as I know some recipes require sour buttermilk but I did find the final result was less lemony. I won't be doing this again.
*the original recipe does not call for eggs. I have made it both with and without eggs and it works well either way. I prefer the extra nourishment from the eggs.
*The original recipe calls for 300g of sugar which I find to be way too much! I have always either halved this amount or used even less sugar (125g). It has always turned out to my liking. This way, I can add a little honey on the piece I'm eating for my personal perfect level of sweetness.
*Fern, who shared the original recipe, suggests drizzling an icing made with icing sugar, rose water and lemon juice. This sounds divine but I have not tried it yet.
If you make this recipe, let me know how it goes!
P.s: Yes! I did get some wildly vivid dreams after eating this cake!
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