A historical dessert from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Serve while warm and they are a dainty addition to the tea-table. Eaten with butter.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Make a stiff batter of one cup of sugar, two eggs, one and a half cups of milk, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, a piece of butter the size of an egg and flour sufficient to make a stiff batter
In this batter stir a pint bowl of fruit—any fresh are nice—or canned berries with the juice poured off
Serve while warm
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
The high ratio of fruit to batter creates steam pockets during baking, keeping the cakes moist while the baking powder provides lift. Folding fruit into a thick batter rather than a thin one prevents the berries from sinking to the bottom due to their density. The butter adds richness and tenderness by coating flour proteins, limiting gluten development, while the eggs provide structure and emulsification to bind the fat and liquid together.
The dry ingredients can be combined up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container. However, these tea-cakes are best baked fresh and served warm from the oven within 2 hours of baking for optimal texture and flavor.
Store leftover tea-cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat individual portions in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds until just warmed through. The texture will be denser than when freshly baked, but spreading with butter while warm helps restore moisture.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The dry ingredients can be combined up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container. However, these tea-cakes are best baked fresh and served warm from the oven within 2 hours of baking for optimal texture and flavor.
Store leftover tea-cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat individual portions in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds until just warmed through. The texture will be denser than when freshly baked, but spreading with butter while warm helps restore moisture.
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