Black cake

The black cake that the novel is named for is a rum-soaked fruit cake. It is often served at weddings and special life events to celebrate. The cake comes to symbolize sisterhood due to the womanly-tradition passed from mother to daughter and the long preparation and baking process that allowed women to bond with one another. The cake also represents hope for Covey because Pearl saved her life by poisoning Little Man’s cake and rescuing her from a life with a husband she never wanted.

Measuring cup

Benny has kept her mother’s old measuring cup that she used to make black cake when she was a little girl. The measuring cup symbolizes familial tradition and the love that Benny had for her mother that never dimmed even through their years of estrangement. When Benny struggles with portions of her mother’s story, she...