Recipe: Lady Baltimore Cake with Sweet Walnut Filling and Fluffy White Frosting (3 layers)

LADY BALTIMORE CAKE

"There are a number of different versions of Lady Baltimore Cake. Cakes were an important part of the dessert table. Imperial and Queen Cakes had much richer ingredients then Lady Cakes. Lady Cakes were baked in the 1800's and similar to a rich pound cake. The Lady Baltimore Cake was noted for the sweet walnut filling."

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 egg whites
Filling and Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
Cream butter and sugar together. Add flour, baking powder, salt, milk and vanilla; set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold egg whites into batter. Pour into prepared cake pans.

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove from pans and set on rack to cool.

Pour the filling between each layer and ice the cake with the other half of the frosting.

FILLING AND FROSTING

FOR THE FROSTING:
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla

FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup chopped raisins
1 cup walnuts
6 fresh figs, finely chopped
1 teaspoon almond extract

To make the frosting, in a double boiler combine the egg whites, sugar, salt, water and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide in half.

To make the filling, in another bowl beat 1/2 of the frosting with raisins, nuts, figs and almond extract.

Makes 1 (9-inch, 3-layer) cake
Source: Chesapeake's Bounty by Katie Moose