Monday, January 19, 2009

Mary Todd Lincoln's Vanilla Almond Cake


Note: Tomorrow is the inauguration and there has been a lot of discussion and reflection about President Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln is special to our family because my husband (and boys) are related to him through my MIL's side of the family. Big Guy was named after President Lincoln's wife's maiden name, Todd. In honor of her today's recipe is Mary Todd's white cake. Mary Todd baked the white cake for Abraham Lincoln when they were courting and continued baking it when she became First Lady.

Mary Todd Lincoln's White Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup blanched almonds, chopped in a food processor until they resemble a coarse flour
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectioners sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour and baking powder 3 times. Add to creamed butter and sugar, alternating with milk. Stir in almonds and beat well. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Turn out on a wire rack and cool. When cool, sift confectioners sugar over top.


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10 comments:

Lisa@BlessedwithGrace said...

How patriotic of you. Sounds good.

HEATHER said...

Mary Todd was born in Lexington KY, and I have driven by her home many times, although I never get to go in(because their hours are odd).
The cake sounds yummy.

Suzann said...

This sounds so awesome - I am definitely going to make this.

Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet said...

This sounds delish!!

Live.Love.Eat said...

That is so cool you have family related to such great history. Dessert looks awesome!!!!

From the Doghouse said...

OK, we have to hear more of this story!

Unknown said...

That cake looks very pretty! What a fascinating family tree! So cool :)!

akawest said...

A cake with a past, sounds yummy.

Brenda said...

I am going to bookmark this to make later, it looks good and its fun that it has a past

Michelle said...

Oh that looks quite good. I see a lot of sweets today. It must be the midwinter blah ;) What a great historic recipe!