Recipes

Martha Washington Great Cake

Martha Washington Great Cake

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Ingredients

Makes: 12 Servings

Instructions

  • Place the currants in a medium-size bowl, and pour the wine over them.
  • Stir to distribute the wine.
  • Cover the bowl and put in a warm place for 2 hours so the currants plump up and absorb some of the wine.
  • Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 250°F.
  • Generously grease and flour a 101/2″ × 5½” × 3″ loaf pan.
  • Shake out the excess flour, and set the pan aside.
  • Drain the currants well, reserving the wine.
  • You should have about 3 ounces of wine.
  • Set it and the currants aside.
  • Place the sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace into a medium-size bowl.
  • Alternately add the flour mixture and the wine to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined.
  • Fold in the currants until well distributed.
  • Turn the batter into the prepared pan, and place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 2¼ to 2½ hours.
  • Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
  • Run a knife around the edges of the pan, gently shake the pan to loosen the cake, and invert the cake once and then again so the cake cools right side up on the rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
  • The cake will slice better after it is completely cooled, 2 hours.
  • Store as you would a fruitcake, wrapped in cheesecloth in a tightly sealed tin or wrapped in plastic.
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Course; Cake

Fraunces Tavern Carrot Tea Cake

Fraunces Tavern Carrot Tea Cake

Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Makes: 12 To 16 Servings

Instructions

  • Place the peeled carrots in a saucepan with 1″ of water.
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and, when boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let the carrots simmer until they begin to soften, 5 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and drain off the water.
  • Let the carrots cool in the pan.
  • Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Grease and flour a 10″ springform pan, shake out the excess flour, and set the pan aside.
  • Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat until creamy, about 1 minute.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, until they are smooth and satiny, 4 to 5 minutes of beating in total.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and fold into the batter with a wooden spoon.
  • Set aside.
  • Grate the cooled carrots to yield 2 cups.
  • Fold the carrots into the batter.
  • Turn the batter into the prepared pan, and place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake the cake until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
  • Run a knife around the edges of the pan, and unfasten the collar of the springform pan.
  • Run a knife underneath the cake to free it from the bottom of the pan, and place it on a serving platter.
  • Slice and serve warm with the whipped cream.

Notes & Wine Advice

CAKE NOTE:
You can cook the carrots until soft and then mash and strain them of juice as would have been done in the old days. Or you can cook the carrots until they just begin to soften, let them cool, and grate them using a cheese grater to get streaks of carrot throughout the cake.
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Course; Cake

Harriott Horry’s Water Cake

Harriott Horry’s Water Cake

Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Makes: 8 Servings

  • 12 ounces about 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 ounces ½ cup water
  • 5 whole large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 6 ounces 1½ cups unbleached flour

Instructions

  • Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Line the bottom of a 10″ springform pan with parchment paper.
  • Set aside.
  • Place the sugar and water in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat.
  • Stir and cook until the sugar has dissolved, 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and let the sugar syrup rest until it is cool to the touch.
  • Place the whole eggs and egg yolks in a large mixing bowl, and whisk by hand until combined.
  • Gradually pour in the sugar syrup and whisk until the egg and sugar mixture has doubled in volume and is frothy, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Sift the flour over the top of the egg and sugar mixture and fold it in with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula.
  • Turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
  • Place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake until the cake is golden brown on top and springs back when lightly pressed in the center, 28 to 32 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven, and let it cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
  • Run a knife around the edges of the pan, and unfasten the collar of the springform pan.
  • Let the cake cool completely, 1 hour.
  • To serve, run a serrated knife under the cake to free it from the bottom of the pan.
  • Serve with fresh berries.
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Course; Cake

Classic Pound Cake

Classic Pound Cake

Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Makes: 16 To 18 Servings

  • Butter and flour for prepping the pan
  • 2 cups 4 sticks; 1 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2¼ cups 1 pound granulated sugar
  • 6 large eggs at room temperature
  • 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour see Cake Notes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest almond extract, or vanilla extract, if desired

Instructions

  • Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Lightly grease and flour a 10″ tube pan and set aside.
  • Place the butter in a large mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the butter is lightly creamed, 30 seconds.
  • With the mixer running on low, gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is well creamed and fluffy, 2 minutes.
  • Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Add the eggs to the sugar and butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour and the salt, then add to the creamed mixture in thirds, beating on low during each addition.
  • Fold in the lemon zest, almond extract, or vanilla, if desired.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, 1 hour 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven, and place on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
  • Run a knife around the edges of the pan, and invert the cake once and then again so it rests right side up.
  • Let cool on the rack completely, 1 hour, before slicing.

Notes & Wine Advice

CAKE NOTES:
Many purists insist on using unbleached flour in pound cake. It would be more similar to the flour available to the early American colonists. Pound cakes are good keepers. When cooled and wrapped in aluminum foil, they improve in flavor and texture the day after baking, and they stay fresh on the kitchen counter for up to a week. Well wrapped, they freeze for up to 6 months.
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Course; Cake

Moravian Sugar Cake

Moravian Sugar Cake

Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • Makes: 12 To 16 Servings
  • 1 medium-size baking potato peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 package ¼ ounce active dry yeast
  • ½ teaspoon plus 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons warm potato water 100° to 110°F
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • ¼ cup 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs beaten, at room temperature
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus up to ½ cup flour for kneading
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into ⅛” slices
  • 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Place the potato in a small saucepan, cover with water to a depth of 1″, and simmer, covered, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Drain well, reserving the cooking water.
  • Force the potato through a ricer into a small bowl or mash as smooth as possible with a fork.
  • Measure out 1 cup of gently packed potatoes into a small bowl, and stir in 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water.
  • Cover and keep warm.
  • In a glass measuring cup, dissolve the yeast and ½ teaspoon of the sugar in ¼ cup of the reserved potato water.
  • Let stand until the mixture bubbles up, 5 minutes.
  • 3.
  • Combine the potatoes, the remaining 1 cup sugar, the shortening, ¼ cup butter, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the shortening melts, 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the yeast mixture and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.
  • Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place (80° to 85°F), free from drafts, until spongy, 1½ hours.
  • Stir in the eggs and flour to make a soft dough.
  • Shape the dough into a ball.
  • Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for 2 hours.
  • The dough will increase in size by one half.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, 5 minutes.
  • Pat the dough evenly into a greased 13″ × 9″ baking pan.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 minutes to an hour.
  • Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • With your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon, deeply dimple the dough.
  • Tuck the slices of butter into the dimples and over the top of the dough.
  • Place the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to combine; sprinkle this evenly over the dough and down into the dimples.
  • Place the pan in the oven, and bake until the cake is well browned and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Let cool for 30 minutes in the pan before serving.

Notes & Wine Advice

The Moravians
Thought to be one of the oldest Protestant denominations, the Moravian Church was founded in what is now the Czech Republic. Refugees fled to Germany in 1722 for religious freedom, and they first attempted settlement in the American colony of Georgia with General James Oglethorpe in 1735. That attempt was unsuccessful, but what followed on Christmas Eve in 1740 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, would not only be a success but would establish the rich Moravian culture in America. A people dedicated to their church, community, schools, and trades, the Moravians were well-known for their baking. They staged “love feasts” in church, passing warm yeast buns and sweetened coffee around the congregation.
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Course; Cake

17th-Century Cheesecake

17th-Century Cheesecake

Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 12 TO 16 SERVINGS

Crust

Filling

Instructions

  • For the crust, place the flours and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
  • Cut the butter into tablespoon-size pieces and distribute on top of the flours.
  • With a pastry blender or two sharp paring knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is the size of small peas.
  • Add the egg white and the ¼ cup cold water, and stir with a fork until the dough comes together.
  • Add more water if needed.
  • The dough will be wet.
  • Wrap the dough in parchment paper and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the filling.
  • Place the almonds on a large cutting board, and with a large, heavy knife, chop the nuts into tiny pieces until they resemble fine meal.
  • Set aside.
  • Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and cream with a wooden spoon for 60 strokes.
  • Work in the nutmeg, salt, egg yolk, ricotta, and cream, and blend until smooth.
  • Fold in the ground almonds and currants.
  • Set aside.
  • Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Set aside an ungreased 9″ springform pan or deep pie plate.
  • Scatter the 3 tablespoons flour over a work surface and rolling pin, and remove the dough from the refrigerator.
  • Roll out the dough to about ¼” thickness in a 12″ circle.
  • Slide a thin metal spatula under the dough and wrap it onto the rolling pin, using the rolling pin to transfer the dough to the prepared pan.
  • Press the dough into the pan and up the edges about 1½”.
  • Pour the filling into the crust, and spread to smooth the top.
  • Place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake the cake until the filling is just set but a little jiggly in the center, 1 hour 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven to a wire rack to cool 1 hour.
  • Unfasten the collar of the springform pan, if using, and transfer the cake to a serving plate.
  • Or, if using a pie pan, slice the cake from the pan while still a little warm.

Notes & Wine Advice

A NOTE TO THE MODERN COOK:

The crust and filling can be made in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Place the flours and salt in the processor and pulse. Cut the cold butter into tablespoons and distribute around the processor. Process until the mixture is the size of small peas, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the egg white and ¼ cup cold water. Pulse until the dough holds together. Add more water if needed. The dough will be wet. Wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. The filling can be made in the same food processor. Wipe it out, add the almonds, and pulse until the nuts are well ground, like fine meal, about 45 seconds. Turn the almonds into a large bowl and set aside. Place the butter, sugar, nutmeg, salt, egg yolk, ricotta, and cream in the processor and blend until smooth. Fold in the almonds and currants to finish the filling and proceed with step 4 of the recipe. Flavor the filling with ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, if desired.
The creamy texture of cheesecake is universally loved. That texture is what the colonists came to know as “cheese,” and they gave that name to desserts that might not contain cheese at all—such as a lemon “cheese” cake, also called jelly cake, of Virginia that contained no cheese but had a lemon curd filling between the sponge cake layers.
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Course; Cake

A Modern Mardi Gras Glaze

A Modern Mardi Gras Glaze

Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk in enough milk to make a smooth glaze.
  • Add the extract.
  • Divide the glaze into thirds and tint each third either purple, green, or yellow.
  • Spoon each color over a third of the cooled cake and allow 20 minutes for the glaze to set before serving.
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Course; Basic recipe

New Orleans King Cake

New Orleans King Cake

Gâteau Des Rois
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

MAKES: 12 TO 18 SERVINGS

Dough

  • ¼ cup warm water 105° to 115°F
  • 1 package ¼ ounce active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm whole milk 105° to 115°F
  • ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups bread flour plus 2 tablespoons for kneading the dough
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten

Filling

Instructions

  • For the dough, pour the warm water into a large, warmed bowl.
  • Sprinkle in the yeast and stir until it dissolves.
  • Stir in the warm milk, butter, sugar, nutmeg, and salt.
  • Add 1 cup of the flour and blend well.
  • Stir in the eggs and the remaining 2 cups flour to make a soft dough.
  • At the end of the blending, you may need to use your hands to work in all of the flour.
  • Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough.
  • Knead until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
  • Add a little more flour if needed if the dough sticks.
  • Place the dough in a large bowl lightly rubbed with soft butter.
  • Turn the dough to grease the top of the dough.
  • Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and put in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
  • For the filling, punch down the dough with your hands.
  • Transfer it to a lightly floured work surface and, with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a 26″ × 9″ rectangle.
  • Brush with the melted butter.
  • Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle this mixture evenly over the butter to within ½” of the edges.
  • 4.
  • Beginning at the long end, roll the dough up tightly, as for a jelly roll.
  • Lightly blot the seam with water so that the dough edges stick together, and pinch them together well.
  • Carefully pick up the rolled dough and place it, seam side down, on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Bring together the 2 ends to make a 12″ circle, seal the ends with a little water, and pinch the ends together.
  • If desired, use a sharp knife to slice open the middle of the circle all the way around, cutting through the layers and almost to the bottom of the dough.
  • Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and put in a warm place to rise and double in size, about 40 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
  • When preheated, uncover the dough and place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake the cake until it is lightly browned all over, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Remove the cake from the baking sheet with a metal spatula to cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.
  • (If you want to insert “la fève” or a plastic baby figurine, push it into the underside of the cake now.)
  • Slice and serve.

Notes & Wine Advice

CAKE NOTES:
Adapt this wonderful coffee cake to flavors you love. Roll up raisins or cranberries, chopped pecans or sliced almonds, even orange or lemon zest along with the cinnamon and sugar. This cake needs no glaze at all, but if you want to gild the lily, add a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar or the modern glaze.
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Course; Cake

Mary Ball Washington Gingerbread

Mary Ball Washington Gingerbread

Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Makes: 16 To 20 Servings

Instructions

  • Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Lightly grease a 13″ × 9″ metal baking pan with butter and set it aside.
  • Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl.
  • Stir in the ginger, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace, and set the bowl aside.
  • Grate the orange zest and set aside.
  • Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice to yield 4 tablespoons.
  • Add it to the zest in a small bowl.
  • Place the butter in a large bowl, and beat with a wooden spoon until creamy.
  • Add the brown sugar and molasses, and beat until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Fold in the flour mixture along with the milk, brandy, eggs, and the reserved orange juice and zest.
  • Beat until smooth, 2 minutes.
  • Fold in the raisins.
  • Turn the batter into the prepared pan, and place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven.
  • Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then slice and serve with Vanilla Sauce, if desired.
  • For A Modern Vanilla Sauce: Place 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a small saucepan.
  • Stir in 2 cups boiling water, and place over medium heat.
  • Stir and let lightly boil until thickened, 1 minute.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 4 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
  • Serve warm over gingerbread.
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Course; Cake

American Gingerbread

American Gingerbread

Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Ingredients

Makes: 8 Servings

Instructions

  • Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Brush an 8″ or a 9″ square baking pan with a little soft butter.
  • In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into the boiling water until the soda is dissolved.
  • Set aside.
  • Place the molasses and eggs in a large bowl, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine and break up the egg yolks.
  • Add the ½ cup butter, sugar, flour, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice, and stir well until the mixture is smooth, 40 strokes.
  • Stir the baking soda and water mixture into the batter until it is smooth, 1 minute.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and place the pan in the oven.
  • Bake until the gingerbread rises and the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven.
  • Let the gingerbread rest in the pan for 20 minutes before slicing.
  • Serve warm with a pour of cream.
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Course; Cake