Lady Baltimore Cake.

The story of the Lady Baltimore cake can be found here, as well as a recipe variation. Also, Martha Stewart Weddings featured the cake in a 2004 issue. Here's their cake, their 7-minute frosting, & their filling.


James Villas' Lady Baltimore Cake


1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3 cups cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large egg whites

Seven Minute Frosting
3/4 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup seedless golden raisins
1/4 cup diced figs
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter and set aside.

Cream the butter in the bowl of a standing electric mixer on high speed while gradually adding 1 cup of the sugar. Add the two extracts and continue beating till the mixture is light. Sift together the flour & baking powder into the butter mixture, adding it alternately with the milk and beating until the batter is smooth.

In a bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until firm peaks form, add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, and beat till the meringue is fairly stiff and glossy. Gently fold the eggs whites into the batter, then scrape equal amounts of batter into the prepared baking pans, tapping the bottoms to remove any air bubbles. Bake the cakes till a cake tester or knife blade comes out clean, 35-40 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool.

Seven Minute Frosting

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract


Place sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water, & egg whites in the top of a double-boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the pan. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

For the icing:

Scrape about a 1/3 of the seven-minute frosting into a bowl, add the pecans, raisins, figs, & almond extract. Mix until well blended.

To assemble the cake, place 1 cake layer on a large plate and cover with half of the fruit icing, smoothing it with a rubber spatula. Cover the second layer with the remaining fruit icing, and then ice the top & sides with the remaining non-fruit icing. Let the cake stand about 1 hour before serving.