Lady Baltimore Cake

Ingredients

For the cake layers:

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature, plus additional for greasing pans
• 2 cups sifted sugar
• 3 ½ cups cake flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 8 large egg whites, at room temperature

For the frosting:

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
• ½ cup raisins, finely chopped
• 6 dried figs, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon brandy or sherry (optional)

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (14 servings)

    575 calories; 19 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 94 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 65 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 36 milligrams cholesterol; 224 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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12 to 16 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with butter. Line bottoms with parchment. Grease parchment.
2. To make cake: Beat butter and sugar in a bowl at high speed until fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Mix milk and extracts in a measuring cup. Add flour mixture into butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with milk. Beat after each addition.
3. In a bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff. Fold into butter mixture. Divide batter among pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and cakes pull away slightly from pan sides. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes before turning out.
4. To make frosting: Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan, bring to boil and cook 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with salt in a bowl until frothy. Continue to beat and add hot syrup in a thin stream. Keep beating at high speed until the frosting forms stiff peaks.
5. Mix in nuts, raisins, figs, vanilla and liqueur together and stir.
6. Spread frosting between layers on top and on sides. Serve.

1 hour 15 minutes