The dough is left to rise in a flat pan, and just before baking, deep wells are formed in the surface of the dough with the finger tips, and a mixture of melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon is poured on top.

The Moravian settlers who came to North Carolina in 1753 and founded Salem in 1766 brought this recipe with them from eastern Pennsylvania and their settlements there.

[1] Often made for Holy Week and Easter, its popularity soon led to its appearance at other holidays and festive occasions, especially Christmas.

Over the centuries, the recipe for Moravian sugar cake has changed little, and its renown has spread far beyond Old Salem so that it has become a beloved North Carolina breakfast confection.

[3] Freshly baked sugar cake is available at stores and bakeries in Winston-Salem and across the North Carolina Piedmont region.