you're making mealtime meaningful.
This layer cake was made famous in the 1906 novel Lady Baltimore (written by Owen Wister, the same author who wrote The Virginian) when one of the main characters exclaims over the flavor and texture of the cake, then served as a wedding cake that he’s testing for his upcoming nuptials. Spoiler alert: the wedding doesn’t go as planned, but the cake was made forever famous because of this charming scene. The original cake may have originated at (and so-named for) the Lady Baltimore Tea Room in Charleston, South Carolina.
One thing you’ll notice about the cake is that it is extremely pale and this is because there are few flavorings and no egg yolks in the batter. Instead beaten egg whites give this batter its body – and in turn a lack of color. This goes well with the egg white frosting we’re putting on later as both are very wintry and pale.
Cake flour and buttermilk give this cake its wonderful texture, which is delicate with the perfect crumb.
If the thought of an old fashioned egg white frosting doesn’t sit well with you, an ermine frosting can be substituted (here’s our ermine frosting recipe). The texture won’t be quite as fluffy and the color will be just a bit darker, so it’s up to you which look and flavor you’d prefer.
A properly made frosting with egg whites will be fluffy, easy to apply, and taste delightfully of something akin to a vanilla marshmallow.
It can be difficult to master so here’s the scoop on how to do it. Add all frosting ingredients to the pan (minus the vanilla extract) and bring it up to temperature over medium-low heat, beating with your electric mixer the entire time. This process heats the proteins in the egg white as the mixture slowly cooks, which sort of sets the eggs into their new shape of being light and fluffy. In about 7 minutes you will end up with stiff peaks that you can fold the vanilla extract into. If you don’t have a hand mixer you can use a manual whisk at the stovetop then finish at the stand mixer.
The filling for this light, angelic cake is a mixture of the frosting with some candied fruit and nuts. This is a type of filling that you don’t see much anymore, but in this cake it really works! It not only adds texture and flavor, but the little stripes of color in between the cake layers somehow adds to the beauty of this snow white dessert.
You can add some more nuts on top for garnish if you like, but I think there’s something so classic and vintage in the appearance of a cake frosted like this with all those peaks and swirls.
Creamy, sweet, with lovely filling this cake is a perfect vision in white. And, it’s a fun way to taste history, too!
Lady Baltimore Cake
Yield(s): Serves 12
1h 20m prep time
50m cook time
403 calories
Diet: Vegetarian
you're making mealtime meaningful.
For the cake:
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 egg whites
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup raisins, chopped
- 1/2 cup pitted dates, diced
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, plus extra for garnish (optional)
For the frosting:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 4 egg whites
- 1/4 cup tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until pale. Stir in extracts.
- Combine buttermilk and water. Alternate adding in buttermilk and flour mixtures ⅓ at a time to butter mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in egg whites until just combined but do not overmix. Batter will be thick.
- Divide batter between two greased and lined 9” cake pans. Level with back of spoon. Bake for 30 minutes or until knife inserted in centers comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes then remove from pans to cooling racks to cool completely.
For the filling:
- Combine raisins, dates, water, and honey in small saucepan. Heat over medium until bubbling and cook until liquid has been absorbed into fruit. Remove from heat and stir in rum extract and walnuts. Set aside.
For the frosting and assembly:
- Add sugar, salt, cream of tartar, egg whites, and water to clean saucepan. Heat mixture on medium-low while beating with electric mixer for 5-7 minutes or until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves.
- Once proper texture is achieved remove from heat and fold in vanilla.
- Reserve 1/2 cup frosting and mix with fruit. Set aside.
- Level cakes by cutting off uneven areas. Place bottom layer on plate or serving platter. Top with some of the fruit mix and add another cake. Repeat until filling is used up, ending in a cake layer. Or cut each cake into 2 layer horizontally for 4 layers, adding filling between each layer.
- Frost with frosting generously on sides and top, making peaks as you go with the back of a spoon. Top with extra nuts for garnish if desired. Cut into slices to serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Recipe adapted from Southern Plate and Southern Living.