Lady Baltimore Cake
This fluffy white sponge cake with a fruit and nut filling is a classic Southern cake thought to have first been served in the early 20th century at Lady Baltimore’s Tea Room in Charleston, South Carolina. Its divine meringue-like frosting has made it popular as a wedding cake.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups – sifted Swans Down Cake Flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons – baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon – cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup – butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups – sugar
- 1/2 cup – milk
- 1 teaspoon – vanilla extract
- 6 – egg whites
- dried – whole apricots
- pecans – halved
FILLING AND FROSTING
- 2 – egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups – sugar
- dash – salt
- 1/3 cup – water
- 2 teaspoons – light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon – vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup – dried apricots, chopped
- 1/2 cup – raisins
- 1/2 cup – pecans, chopped
Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.
SIFT flour, baking powder and cream of tartar. Cream butter in large bowl, gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients, alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into cake mixture. Spread batter into 2 prepared 9-inch layer pans. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
COOL in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool thoroughly. Spread Lady Baltimore Filling between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish top with dried apricots and pecan halves.
LADY BALTIMORE FILLING AND FROSTING: Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, water and syrup in top of double boiler. Beat 1 minute. Place over rapidly boiling water. Beat constantly on high 7 minutes or until frosting stands in peaks. Remove from boiling water. Transfer to large bowl; add vanilla. Beat 1 minute. For FILLING: Add fruits and nuts to 1/3 of the frosting.
