Martha Washingtons Great Cake Recipes

MARTHA WASHINGTON'S GREAT CAKE

Steps:

• Soak the raisins and currants overnight in water in a small bowl. Combine the orange peel, lemon peel, citron and cherries in a medium-size bowl; sprinkle with brandy and marinate overnight.
• Beat the butter, three-quarters of a cup of the sugar, egg yolks and lemon juice at high speed in electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, about five minutes.
• Sift the flour, mace and nutmeg on wax paper. Stir into the batter alternately with the Sherry, blending well.
• Drain the raisins and currants. Add them to the batter with the candied fruits and brandy, mixing well.
• Beat the egg whites until they are foamy. Beat in the remaining one-quarter cup of sugar slowly until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter.
• Grease two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch pans. Spoon the batter into the pans. Place a large pan filled halfway up with boiling water on the lowest oven rack. Place the cakes on the middle oven rack.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 55 minutes longer or until the cake centers spring back when lightly touched. Cool the cakes on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans.
• Wrap the cooled cakes in Sherry- or brandy-soaked cheesecloth. Place in tightly covered containers or wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Check the cheesecloth occasionally. If it dries out, add more Sherry or brandy.
• Garnish the cakes with candied cherries, if desired.

MARTHA WASHINGTON'S GREAT CAKE

Steps:

• WRITTEN AS PER MARTHA WASHINGTON'S DIRECTIONS.
• Take forty eggs and divide the whites from the yolks, and beat them (whites) to a froth.
• Then work the butter to a cream, and put the whites of the eggs to it, a cup at a time, until well-worked.
• Then add sugar (finely powdered) to it in the same manner (one cup at a time).
• Then put the egg yolks and flour and fruit to it.
• Add to it mace, nutmeg, wine and brandy.
• Two hours will bake it. (350 degrees).
• In the TV program: Martha Stewart baked this in a 16x16x3-inch square pan (it was HUGE!). I suppose you could divide the batter between two 13x9 pans, too.
• She frosted it with a meringue (whipped egg white & sugar) that was lightly baked to give it a crunch -- and claimed that it would keep for weeks if the cake wasn't cut.
• She's got a smaller version on her website.

MARTHA WASHINGTON CREME CAKE

Steps:

• Beat 3 egg yolks, sugar and water until creamy.
• In another bowl beat 3 egg whites to soft peak.
• Sift flours, BP and salt. Stir with whisk to mix thoroughly.
• Add egg whites and flour mixture to egg yolk mixture alternating each and folding until batter is just incorporated.
• Batter will have some traces of flour exposed. Do not stir and do not over mix for best results.
• Grease 2 9" cake pans. Line bottom of each with waxed paper or parchment. Grease paper and dust bottoms and sides with flour.
• Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes. Test for doneness with toothpick.
• For ease in slicing the layers in 2, place cake layers in pans in freezer. To remove from pan when ready to assemble, turn stove burner to med and slide bottom of cake pan around until the heat releases cake; test by using a butter knife pulling the sides up until cake comes free from bottom.This happens within seconds. Slice frozen layers in two and spread filling between layers leaving top of cake bare.
• Filling:.
• Cream egg yolks.
• Mix cornstarch with a small amount of the milk and then add to saucepan with balance of milk, creamed egg yolks and sugar. Cook until it comes to a boil.
• Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.
• Cool.
• Can use leftover egg whites to frost sides of cake with 7 minute frosting.

MARTHA WASHINGTON'S GREAT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Soak raisins and currants in water in small bowl overnight.
• Combine orange peel, lemon peel, citron and cherries in mediumsize bowl, sprinkle with brandy; let stand overnight.
• Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch pans.
• Beat egg whites in medium-size bowl with electric mixer until foamy white. Beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar slowly until meringue forms stiff peaks; reserve.
• Beat butter, remaining sugar, egg yolks and lemon juice in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about five minutes.
• Sift flour, mace and nutmeg onto wax paper. Stir into batter alternately with sherry, blending well.
• Drain raisins and currants. Add to batter with candied fruits and brandy, mixing well.
• Fold in reserved meringue until no streaks of white remain. Pour batter into pans. Place in a roasting pan on lowest rack of oven. Fill halfway with boiling water. Place cakes on middle rack of oven.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees and bake 55 minutes longer until centers spring back when lightly touched with fingertip. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.
• To store: wrap in sherry- or brandy-soaked cheesecloth; place in tightly covered containers for a month or longer. Pour more sherry or brandy over cake when cheesecloth dries out.
• Garnish with candied cherries, if you wish.