Name: Lady Baltimore Cake
Total time: 4 h
Cuisine: Mid-AtlanticAmerican
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk , room temperature; 6 large egg whites , room temperature; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 1/4 cups (9 ounces/255 grams) cake flour; 1 3/4 cups (12¼ ounces/347 grams) sugar; 4 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon table salt; 12 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 12 pieces and softened but still cool; 2 cups pecans; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon bourbon , rum, or water; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 3 tablespoons water , plus water for simmering; 4 large egg whites; 1 1/4 cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) sugar; 1 teaspoon cream of tartar; Pinch table salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup dried mixed fruits (any combination of cherries, dates, figs, pineapple, and raisins); 1/4 cup pecans , toasted; 2 tablespoons rum , bourbon, or water

Lady Baltimore Cake

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 21, 2007

Time

2 hours, plus 2 hours cooling

Yield

Serves 10 to 12 (Makes 1 8-inch layer cake)

Ingredients

White Cake Rounds

1 cup whole milk, room temperature6 large egg whites, room temperature2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 ¼ cups (9 ounces/255 grams) cake flour 1 ¾ cups (12¼ ounces/347 grams) sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon table salt 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened but still cool

Sugared Pecans

2 cups pecans 2 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon bourbon, rum, or water2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Seven-Minute Icing

3 tablespoons water, plus water for simmering4 large egg whites 1 ¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) sugar 1 teaspoon cream of tartar Pinch table salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake

1 cup dried mixed fruits (any combination of cherries, dates, figs, pineapple, and raisins)¼ cup pecans, toasted2 tablespoons rum, bourbon, or water

Before You Begin

If you’ve forgotten to bring the milk and egg white mixture to room temperature, set the bottom of the measuring cup containing it in a sink of hot water and stir until the mixture feels cool rather than cold, around 65 degrees. For the best results, we recommend weighing your ingredients. We developed this recipe using Pillsbury Softasilk bleached cake flour; we do not recommend using an unbleached cake flour such as King Arthur brand. Seven-Minute Icing gets its name for the 7 minutes that it takes to beat it over simmering water. In step 9, you can speed up the cooling down process by transferring the hot egg white mixture to a stand mixer and beating it on medium-high speed until thick and stiff, about 5 minutes.

Instructions

for the white cake rounds

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans.

Mix milk, egg whites, and vanilla together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute.

Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds (batter may look slightly curdled). Give batter final stir by hand; do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until tops are light golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Do not turn off oven. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours. (Once cooled, cake layers can be wrapped and stored for 1 day.)

for the sugared pecans

While cakes cool, spread pecans in even layer on rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and deepened in color, 6 to 8 minutes. While pecans are toasting, stir granulated sugar and salt together in bowl.

Bring bourbon, butter, vanilla, and brown sugar to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Stir in pecans and cook, stirring constantly, until pecans are shiny and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 1½ minutes.

Toss pecans in bowl with sugar-salt mixture, return to sheet, and let cool completely; set aside.

for the seven-minute icing

While pecans cool, bring 1 inch water to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk water, egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt together in medium bowl large enough to rest on sides of saucepan but not deep enough to touch simmering water inside. Place bowl over barely simmering water, and using electric hand mixer, beat egg white mixture on medium-high speed until it forms stiff peaks, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove bowl from saucepan, add vanilla, and continue to beat until mixture is cooled completely and icing is very thick and stiff, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap until ready to use icing.

for the cake

Process dried fruits and pecans in food processor until finely chopped, 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl and mix in bourbon. Stir in 2 cups icing.

Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment paper to keep platter clean. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread half of dried fruit mixture evenly over top. Repeat with 1 more cake layer, pressing lightly to adhere, and remaining dried fruit mixture. Top with remaining cake layer, pressing lightly to adhere. Spread icing evenly over top and sides of cake, using back of spoon to create attractive swirls and peaks in icing. Decorate with sugared pecans. Carefully remove parchment strips before serving.