Mary Todd Lincoln'S White Almond Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 lb. blanched whole almonds (equals 1 c.)
3 c. sifted cake flour
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 egg whites

Preparation

Grate by hand or in a blender enough almonds to total one cup. Do not pack in the measure.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and set aside.
Cream the butter until very light, then add 1 3/4 cups of sugar gradually, creaming until fluffy.
Add the sifted ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Fold in the almonds, vanilla and almond extract.
Beat the egg whites with the salt and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to soft peaks, then fold gently but thoroughly into the batter.
Pour into a well buttered and floured 9-inch tube pan and bake at 350\u00b0 for about 1 hour or until cake begins to pull from sides of the pan.
Cool cake upright in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Then loosen around edges and turn out on a rack.
Cool thoroughly before cutting.