It seems like a bit of a cop-out not to come up with a more creative name for Millard Fillmore’s cupcake, but, in a way, it also seems quite appropriate. While President Fillmore wasn’t without nickname, he was nicknamed The American Louis Philippe, his nickname is as forgettable as his tenure in office.

He is not the only president for whom this is true. This is no quick swipe at President Fillmore. He happened to be both an “accidental president” and one of the unfortunate chief executives to hold the office in the unsettled times leading up to the Civil War. However Millard Fillmore was the one to send Commodore Matthew Perry to Japan in order to establish trade with the Japanese. He was also president when folks began heading west to seek their fortune in gold. These are the bits that inspired his cupcake.

The cake:

Because his work led to trade relations with Japan, it seemed that green tea made a fine flavor for this cake.  There is also a dollop of strawberry jam between the cupcake and the white chocolate buttercream frosting. These elements were chosen because of their ability to complement the green tea flavored cake. Finally, gold accents were added to the top of the cupcake, a nod to the beginning of the California Gold Rush era.