A rare Hunter’s Moon is to light up the night sky this weekend and it’s also a Supermoon! A Supermoon occurs when the moon’s orbit comes closer to Earth. This weekend, it’s at the closest possible point to earth, causing it to appear up to 30 percent brighter. The combination means those red and orange hues of the Hunter’s Moon will beam even brighter. The Hunter’s Moon appears redder because the atmosphere is thicker as you look to the horizon instead of up above in the night sky. And because the Hunters’ Moon is a full moon, the red-orange illusion shines bright. Sunday, October 16th is also the only night in October when the moon will hover in the sky all night long.
The Hunter’s Moon lights up the sky with red and orange hues every year less than a month after the autumn equinox. That is why it’s termed “Hunter’s Moon” because hunters in the past would use the light of this full moon after the harvest which coincides with he autumn equinox to capture food ahead of winter.
Hunters’ Moon Feast
Along with the harvesting of crops and hunt for food came a celebration called the Feast of the Hunters’ Moon, which is a commemoration of the annual fall gathering of the French and Native Americans which took place at a fur-trading outpost in the mid – 1700’s. To this day it is held annually in early autumn on the banks of the Wabash River, four miles southwest of West Lafayette, Indiana at the present-day site of Fort Ouiatenon, a replica 18th century French military and trading post.
This event is actually re-enacted with a feast for your senses. You can smell the wood smoke, hear the report of the rifles, see performances, displays, and the scenes of life from the 18th century, and savor authentic food. Booths have crafts, merchandise, and activities that have proven to be especially interesting to younger Feast visitors.
You can really get a feel for the 18th century life of French traders and the Native Americans of that period. The food especially takes you back in time, as you will find food vendors selling traditional period foods such as rabbit stew, voyageur stew, and venison sausage.
Hunter’s Moon Carrot Cake
Traditionally you may have seen some sort of sweet potato muffin or ginger bread on the Hunters’ Moon Feast table, but I thought something reflecting the orange-red hues of tonight’s moon would be nice. A basic carrot cake made in the most rustic ways of the 18th century iced with a sugar glaze will image the Hunter’s Moon at its best with shades of orange piercing through sugary white shine. Just as the moon tonight has a magical essence of empowerment, a sprinkle of edible flowers will adorn the cake with a magical touch of beauty.
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter, softened
5 tablespoons milk
1 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts (optional)
1 tablespoon edible flowers (optional)
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch pan.
- In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- To Make Glaze: In a medium bowl, confectioners' sugar, milk and teaspoon vanilla. Mix until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Frost the cooled cake by pouring glaze on top and allowing it to cover the sides.
- Top with a few walnuts and sprinkle flowers (optional).
