
A historical dessert from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). For Filling: Make an icing by beating the whites of three eggs and a cup of powdered sugar to a stiff froth. When the cake is cooled, spread a thick layer of this frosting over each cake, and sprinkle very thickly with grated cocoanut.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
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Cream together three-quarters of a cup of butter and two of white sugar
Add one cup of sweet milk, four eggs, whites and yolks separately beaten, the yolks added first to the butter and sugar, then the whites
Flavor with lemon or vanilla
Mix three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder in three cups of sifted flour and add last
Bake in jelly pans
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Creaming butter and sugar incorporates air cells that expand during baking, creating a tender crumb. Beating egg whites and yolks separately maximizes aeration—the whites provide structural foam while yolks add richness and emulsification. Adding flour mixed with baking powder last minimizes gluten development, keeping the cake tender. The seven-minute frosting (made from egg whites and sugar) creates a stable meringue that holds the coconut in place while providing sweetness and moisture.
Cake layers can be baked, cooled completely, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month before frosting. Thaw frozen layers at room temperature before assembling. The egg white frosting should be made fresh on the day of assembly as it does not store well and will weep if refrigerated.
Store the assembled cake under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 2 days. The egg white frosting is best consumed within 24 hours as it will begin to weep and break down. Do not refrigerate, as this will cause the meringue frosting to become sticky and separate. If using sweetened shredded coconut, the cake will stay fresher longer than with fresh coconut.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
Cake layers can be baked, cooled completely, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month before frosting. Thaw frozen layers at room temperature before assembling. The egg white frosting should be made fresh on the day of assembly as it does not store well and will weep if refrigerated.
Store the assembled cake under a cake dome at room temperature for up to 2 days. The egg white frosting is best consumed within 24 hours as it will begin to weep and break down. Do not refrigerate, as this will cause the meringue frosting to become sticky and separate. If using sweetened shredded coconut, the cake will stay fresher longer than with fresh coconut.