A historical dessert from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). The yolks left from this cake may be used to make a spice cake from the recipe of "Golden Spice Cake."
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Cream three cupfuls of sugar and one of butter, making it very light, then add a cupful of milk
Beat the whites of eight eggs very stiff, add half of those to the other ingredients
Mix well into four cups of sifted flour one tablespoonful of baking powder; stir this into the cake, add flavoring, then the remaining beaten whites of egg
Bake in layers like jelly cake
Make an icing for the filling, using the whites of four eggs beaten to a very stiff froth, with two cups of fine white sugar and the juice of half a lemon
Spread each layer of the cake thickly with this icing, place one on another, then ice all over the top and sides
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
This historic white cake relies on creaming butter and sugar to incorporate air cells that expand during baking, creating a tender crumb. Folding in egg whites in two stages—half mixed thoroughly for structure, half folded gently at the end—balances stability with lightness. The high proportion of egg whites to yolks creates an ultra-white cake with a delicate, fine-textured crumb, while the acidic lemon juice in the frosting helps stabilize the meringue-based icing and prevents crystallization of the sugar.
The unfrosted cake layers can be baked 1 day ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature. The meringue-based frosting must be made fresh on assembly day and used immediately, as it does not store well and will weep or deflate. For best results, assemble and frost the cake no more than 4-6 hours before serving.
Store the assembled cake under a cake dome or loosely covered with plastic wrap (not touching the frosting) at room temperature for up to 2 days. This historic boiled/seven-minute style frosting does not require refrigeration and actually becomes unpleasantly sticky if chilled. The frosting will form a slight crust but remain soft inside. Do not freeze, as the meringue frosting will weep upon thawing.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The unfrosted cake layers can be baked 1 day ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature. The meringue-based frosting must be made fresh on assembly day and used immediately, as it does not store well and will weep or deflate. For best results, assemble and frost the cake no more than 4-6 hours before serving.
Store the assembled cake under a cake dome or loosely covered with plastic wrap (not touching the frosting) at room temperature for up to 2 days. This historic boiled/seven-minute style frosting does not require refrigeration and actually becomes unpleasantly sticky if chilled. The frosting will form a slight crust but remain soft inside. Do not freeze, as the meringue frosting will weep upon thawing.
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