It is said that Mary Todd Lincoln wooed her husband Abe with this white cake recipe. Upon discovering this, I have felt giddy for days thinking about making this cake! I was finally able to do so today and what better timing than now as we are going through such a significant time American history. With the Inauguration of our next President who uses Lincoln as inspiration openly, Martin Luther King Jr. day, and President’s Day coming soon, I think this cake is as close as it comes to tasting democratic hope. This cake is also the thread from another time of intense change in the United States. It’s perfect white crumb and vanilla overtones hint at the subtlety that it takes to keep pressing forward, keep believing in what one believes is honest and true, and not giving up despite obstacles that come in our way. Sometimes it is not in the “wow” that makes the biggest change, but rather the more subtle and simple flavors of life that can make the biggest impact.
I highly recommend this cake. It is simple, it is delicious, and you will be tasting the cacophony of American flavors all the way from Mary Todd Lincoln wooing Abe (this became his favorite cake and she used to make it for him in the White House), through the changes this country has tasted for the past century and a half, to the modern taste of change and what is to come, subtle and sweet.
Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Cake
Adapted from “Lincoln’s Table” by Donna D. McCreary
Ingredients
1 cup blanched almonds
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
6 eggs, separated (best when eggs are cold)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar
Method
Using a food processor or a spice grinder, pulverize almonds until they resemble coarse flour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.
With an electric beater or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light yellow in color and fluffy.
Sift flour and baking powder three times. (I don’t make a rule of this practice, but with three cups of flour, it seemed like a good idea to incorporate some air and help make this cake as light as possible. For an interesting explainer on sifting flour, go here.) Fold flour mix into creamed butter and sugar, alternating with milk, until well blended. Stir in almonds and beat well.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they have stiff, firm peaks. (Use egg yolks for another use – French toast, possibly?) Beaters must be washed and dried thoroughly before whipping egg whites or they will not stiffen properly. Fold egg whites gently into batter with a rubber spatula. Add vanilla extract.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for one hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool for at least 20 minutes before inverting, then allow to completely cool before serving. Sift confectioners’ sugar on top.
Makes about 12 slices.
