the fabulous lady b cake
Modeled after the Southern confection dubbed Lady Baltimore cake, which ostensibly originated in the late nineteenth century either in a bakery in Baltimore or in a teahouse in South Carolina, this recipe takes the original and runs with it—right into the twenty-first century. Angel food layers take the place of butter cake, a lemony fig filling replaces the traditional raisin conserve, and the sticky-sweet boiled marshmallow frosting has been transformed into a sherry buttercream. Oh, my!
MAKES A 6-INCH TRIPLE-LAYER CAKE; SERVES 8 TO 10
- Angel Food Cake (page 92)
- ½ cup walnut halves
- Sherry Buttercream (page 93)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped moist dried figs
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- Bake the Angel Food Cake as directed. When the layers come out, leave the oven on. Spread out the walnuts in a small baking pan and toast in the oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a dish and let cool. Finely chop half the walnuts; set the remaining halves aside for decoration.
- While the cake layers are cooling, make the Sherry Buttercream.
- To make the filling, in a bowl, combine the chopped walnuts and figs with the grated orange and lemon zests. Add ½ cup of the buttercream and mix well.
- To assemble the cake, place one layer on a small cake stand or serving plate, flat side up. Spread half of the filling over the top, leaving a ¼-inch margin around the edge. Add the second layer and cover with the remaining filling. Set the third layer on top and frost the entire cake with the remaining buttercream. Decorate with the toasted walnut halves.