The Great Cake Bake

We convened Saturday evening at six. The anticipation, the ovens had been fired. I brought Carla's tomato bisque and we had two salads and someone opened and baked a canister of prefab bread dough. There were a variety of cake recipes and formats. I made a layer cake: the Lady Baltimore. It was fine but different if you know what I mean. Lots of almond extract and a whipped icing with raisins, pecans, and figs. I had never tasted it and wanted to. The other layer cakes were chocolate ganache and orange cake and lemon with candied lemon slices. The other cakes were a 9 x 13 grasshopper cake with chopped Andes mints, red velvet cake balls rolled in milk chocolate and served cold, and chocolate bacon cupcakes.

Lady Baltimore Cake
Charleston Receipts

1 C butter
3 C sugar
4 eggs
1 C milk
3 1/2 C cake flour
4 t baking powder
2 t vanilla
2 t almond extract
1/2 C water

Use electric mixer, if possible; cream butter, add 2 cups sugar gradually and beat until the consistency of whipped cream. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat thoroughly. Sift baking powder and flour three times and add alternately with milk, using a wooden spoon for blending. Bake in 2 11" greased cake pans in 350 F degree oven 30 minutes. Make a thick syrup of 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Flavor with almond and vanilla. Spread this over your layers as soon as you remove them from the pans.

Frosting
2 C sugar
2/3 C water
2 egg whites (beaten stiff)
2 t corn syrup
2 C seeded raisins
2 C pecans or walnuts
12 figs
Almond and vanilla extract

Mix sugar, water, and syrup. Cook until it forms a firm ball in cold water. Pour gradually into the stiff egg whites, beating constantly. Now add raisins, pecan nuts, and figs all cut fine. Raisins and figs may be soaked overnight in small amount of sherry or brandy, if desired. Add almond and vanilla extracts to taste. Spread between layers, on top and sides of cake.

Mrs. Howard Read (Adelaide Higgins)