A historical dessert from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Bake it in layers—the layers being light and dark; then spread
✨ Vintage Recipe
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Original Historical Recipe
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Original Ingredients
The whites of seven eggs
two cups of sugar
two-thirds of a cup of butter
one cup of milk
three cups of flour
three teaspoonfuls of baking powder
For chocolate part: the yolks of the eggs with a cup of grated chocolate stirred into it
Original Instructions
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Community Notes
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Make the light part with whites of seven eggs, two cups of sugar, two-thirds cup of butter, one cup of milk, three cups of flour and three teaspoonfuls of baking powder
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The chocolate part of the cake is made just the same, only use the yolks of the eggs with a cup of grated chocolate stirred into it
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Bake it in layers—the layers being light and dark
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then spread
Chef Cecil's Modern Tips Below
Chef Cecil's Modern Tips
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Separating eggs allows you to create two distinct batters with different textures and colors from a single recipe base. The egg whites in the light layers provide structure and a tender, cake-like crumb, while the yolks in the chocolate layers add richness, fat, and emulsification properties that help incorporate the chocolate smoothly. The chemical leavening from baking powder creates consistent rise in both batters, while the alternating layers create visual contrast and prevent the heavy chocolate from weighing down the entire cake.
Make Ahead
The unfrosted cake layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead, cooled completely, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature. For longer storage, wrap layers in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before assembling and frosting.
Storage
Store the assembled cake under a cake dome or covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days. If your frosting contains perishable ingredients like cream cheese or whipped cream, refrigerate the cake and bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving for best texture. Unfrosted layers can be frozen for up to 2 months.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
Make Ahead
The unfrosted cake layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead, cooled completely, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature. For longer storage, wrap layers in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before assembling and frosting.
Storage
Store the assembled cake under a cake dome or covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days. If your frosting contains perishable ingredients like cream cheese or whipped cream, refrigerate the cake and bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving for best texture. Unfrosted layers can be frozen for up to 2 months.
