
A historical dessert from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). The cake should be put in the oven as soon as possible after adding the soda and egg whites. Bake slowly.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
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Beat well together one cupful of butter and three cupfuls of white sugar
Add the yolks of six eggs and one cupful of milk, two teaspoonfuls of vanilla or lemon extract
Mix all thoroughly
To four cupfuls of flour add two heaping teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and sift gently over the cake stirring all the time
Add one even teaspoonful of soda dissolved in one tablespoonful of warm water
Mix it well
Stir in gently the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff foam
Bake slowly
It should be put in the oven as soon as possible after putting in the soda and whites of eggs
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
The cream of tartar (an acid) and soda (a base) create a chemical leavening reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, lifting the cake. Adding the soda dissolved in water activates it immediately, which is why the cake must go into the oven quickly before the leavening power is lost. Separately beating the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding them in last incorporates additional air bubbles that expand during baking, creating a delicate, tender crumb structure. The high ratio of sugar to butter creates a fine, close-grained texture characteristic of traditional pound cakes.
The dry ingredients (flour and cream of tartar) can be sifted together and stored in an airtight container up to 1 week ahead. However, this cake is best mixed and baked fresh due to the time-sensitive nature of the chemical leavening reaction. The baked cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days before serving.
Store the cooled cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature while still wrapped to prevent condensation from making the cake soggy.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The dry ingredients (flour and cream of tartar) can be sifted together and stored in an airtight container up to 1 week ahead. However, this cake is best mixed and baked fresh due to the time-sensitive nature of the chemical leavening reaction. The baked cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days before serving.
Store the cooled cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature while still wrapped to prevent condensation from making the cake soggy.