Lady Baltimore Cake

Whatever its origins, the cake’s fame spread quickly throughout the South, and today the versions are multiple. Notice that to make this complex cake, you’ll need both a standing electric mixer and a hand mixer. Lady Baltimore cake is always prepared for a very special occasion—which seems appropriate.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 1⁄2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 cups cake flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1⁄2 cups whole milk
• 4 large egg whites

FOR THE ICING

• 2 large egg whites
• 1⁄3 cup cold water
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3⁄4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1⁄2 cup seedless golden raisins
• 1⁄4 cup diced seedless figs
• 1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease two 9- inch cake pans with butter and set aside.
2. To make the cake, cream the butter in the bowl of a standing electric mixer on high speed while gradually adding 1 cup of the sugar. Add the two extracts and continue beating till the mixture is light. Sift together the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture, adding it alternately with the milk and beating till the batter is smooth.
3. In a bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer till firm peaks form, add the remaining 1 ⁄2 cup of sugar, and beat till the meringue is fairly stiff and glossy. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, then scrape equal amounts of batter into the prepared cake pans, tapping the bottoms to remove any air bubbles. Bake the cakes till a cake tester or knife blade comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, then turn them out onto racks to cool.
4. Meanwhile, make the icing by combining the egg whites, water, sugar, and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler over simmering water and beating them with an electric mixer till stiff peaks form. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla. Scrape about one third of the icing into a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and mix till well blended.
5. To assemble the cake, place 1 cake layer on a large plate and cover with the fruit icing, smoothing it with a rubber spatula. Cover with the second layer and then ice the top and sides with the remaining icing. Let the cake stand about 1 hour before serving.