Did you know that one of former First Lady Lucy Hayes favorite desserts was a traditional white cake? Here is her own personal recipe (among others!) at Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums:

“There is not to be found a better receipt

for white cake than the following. The cake is mixed contrary to the usual rules of making cake, but it is the best mode of making it fine-grained and delicate.

Ingredients: Whites of six eggs, scant three-quarters of a cupful of butter, one and one-quarter cupfuls of pulverized sugar, two cupfuls of flour, juice of half a lemon, one-quarter of a tea-spoonful of soda.

If soda is used, mix it well with the flour, and pass it through the sieve several times to distribute it equally. Beat the butter to a light cream, and add the flour to it, stirring it in gradually with the ends of the fingers until it is a smooth paste. Beat the whites of the six eggs to a stiff froth, and mix in them the pulverized sugar; now stir the eggs and sugar gradually into the flour and butter, adding also the lemon-juice, and mix it smoothly together with the egg whisk. As soon as it is perfectly smooth, put it into the oven, the heat of which should be rather moderate at first. When done and still hot, spread over it a frosting made with the white of one egg, pulverized sugar and a flavoring of lemon. The frosting is a decided improvement, and, according to the receipt

, only requires a few minutes to prepare.

This cake may be made with one-tea-spoonful of baking-powder, or with prepared flour, or with the one-quarter tea-spoonful of soda and one-half tea-spoonful of cream of tartar, when the essence of lemon should be used instead of the lemon-juice.”

I decided to do a modern version of the traditional white cake in the kitchen tonight. This is a recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction that I always used and it literally never fails me. It always comes out incredibly fluffy and moist.

White Cake

Ingredients

2 and 1/2 cups cake flour (spoon & leveled)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 cup (1.5 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar

5 large egg whites, at room at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper.

Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.

Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add 110 the egg whites. Beat on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.

With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.

Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 24-25 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

I always use the recipe from Sugar Spun Run for the best Cream Cheese Frosting. I’ve tasted a few in my life but this is the ultimate best!

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese softened (brick-style, not spreadable)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.

Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.

With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.

Use to frost completely cooled cake or cupcakes.

Today in American history…Lyndon Baines Johnson was born on August 27, 1908 in Stonewall, Texas.

He would serve as our 36th U.S.President from November 22, 1963 until January 20, 1969.

Today is National Dog Day.

Several U.S. Presidents had pets during their tenure at The White House. Several of them had dogs. President Lincoln and family had goats and ponies strolling about at one point through the Executive Mansion.

At one point, the Kennedy family had eight dogs. One in particular was Pushinka, a gift from Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

Abraham Lincoln was very fond of his dog, Fido. When he realized it wasn’t a good idea to take his beloved dog to The White House, he asked his good friend and neighbor, John Roll, to care for Fido until he returned to Springfield after serving as President. He had a long list of concerns and requests for the daily care of Fido. According to the website America Comes Alive, some of the requests were:

-They were never to tie him up in the backyard by himself.

He was a house dog, so he should be allowed inside when he scratched at the door.

-He was not to be scolded for having muddy paws.

-He should be permitted to join the Roll family at dinner. Fido was accustomed to being fed by everyone at the table.

Lincoln also had one other thought. Would the family like their couch that was specially made for Abe? It was green horsehair—7 feet long to accommodate the president’s height. Fido loved being on or near the couch, too.

A few other Presidential dogs were:

I love stumbling across old recipes and trying them out in my kitchen. Sometimes I’m successful…other times? It can be a little dicey. It’s always a fun time researching and exploring though! Some recipes I get really excited about. Other ones like a former President’s squirrel stew recipe not so much.

The other day I came across a recipe for Norman Rockwell’s favorite oatmeal cookies and I was so excited like a kid in a candy store. Oatmeal cookies are my personal favorite (peanut butter closely behind it) so I just had to make them. Plus, it’s always such a fun thing to taste what people in history enjoyed too!

Norman Rockwell was an American painter and illustrator. He is most famous for his cover illustrations of every day life in America which were published in the Saturday Evening Post for nearly five decades.

In honor of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s birthday today, I baked her delicious Strawberry Cake to celebrate her 96th birthday.

The cake is so simple to make and it’s something you can make in your own kitchen!

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients

1 box of yellow or white cake mix (I used Betty Crocker’s White Cake Mix)

3 oz. package of strawberry gelatin

3/4 cup cooking oil (I used Canola Oil)

1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans. I prefer pecans because they are sweeter!)

4 eggs

2 Tablespoons of flour

10 oz. package frozen strawberries, or 1 pint fresh strawberries, chopped, with 1/2 cup of sugar (if using frozen strawberries, omit the sugar)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Mix all of the ingredients and beat well; pour into a well greased bundt pan.

Bake for about 55-60 minutes.

Serve plain or with whipped cream.

Today in American history…former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was born on August 18, 1927 in Plains, Georgia.

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Carter! 🇺🇸

In honor of Florence Harding’s birthday, I whipped up one of her family’s favorite meals: Chicken Pot Pie.

Florence Harding was well known for her chicken pot pie recipe as well as her popular waffle recipe.

I envision on a special night like her birthday, the family may have had their favorite chicken pot pie as well as possibly President Warren Harding’s favorite almond cookies for a dessert.

I tried to research her personal recipe for chicken pot pie online but could not come across one. There is a cookbook of her recipes though…I may have to add to my collection!

I decided to just make my own version of Chicken Pot Pie with a recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman. Can’t go wrong there!

Today in American history…former First Lady Florence Harding was born on August 15, 1860 in Marion, Ohio.

Florence Harding was the first future First Lady to vote in a Presidential election following the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Consititution.

During her tenure as First Lady, she used her platform to advocate for animal rights, veterans welfare and women’s equality.

There is nothing better than the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. It’s one of the most ultimate and decadent comfort candies (Reese’s Peanut Butter cups…OMG)

Recently when I asked my stepson, Ian, what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday and he suggested peanut butter – and his girlfriend, Gracie, suggested chocolate frosting…my heart was very happy 😊

PS. I am all about using generic brands – which work just as well. But there are a few exceptions like peanut butter and chocolate that I use the trusted brands that I love the most and that’s Jif Peanut Butter and Hershey’s Chocolate.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cake w/Hershey’s Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients for the Peanut Butter Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil which worked perfectly!)

1 ½ cups light brown sugar

¾ cup smooth peanut butter (I always use Jif – it’s my personal favorite!)

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

⅓ cup sour cream

¾ cup milk

Ingredients for Hershey’s Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup butter (or margarine (one stick)

2/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa

3 cups Powdered (Confectioners) Sugar

1/3 cup Milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions for Peanut Butter Cake

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Grease two cake pans very well. I always grease the pan, layer of parchment paper on the bottom and then grease again. This gives you extra protection from the cake sticking to the pan!

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.

Then in a separate large bowl, beat together the oil, light brown sugar and peanut butter until all is a smooth texture. You can beat by hand or a hand mixer – however you prefer.

Into the large bowl, add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk in the sour cream. Do not over mix – just enough to combine the ingredients.

Mix in about 1/2 of the dry ingredients from the small bowl and then add the milk. Mix thoroughly.

Then add the rest of the dry ingredients until the flour mixture is incorporated.

Divide and pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and put into the oven to bake.

Bake for 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. If not completely done, keep checking every 3 minutes.

When completely baked, remove from the oven.

Cool for about ten minutes and remove the cake from the pans onto a cooling rack.

Start making your frosting…

Directions for Hershey’s Chocolate Frosting

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately, add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.

Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

When the cake is completely cooled (in about an hour) start frosting.

I used Reese’s mini peanut butter cups (unwrapped) for garnishing to give the cake extra chocolate and peanut butter deliciousness! 😋

Today in American History…our 31st U.S.President, Herbert Clark Hoover was born on August 10, 1874 in West Branch, Iowa. His favorite food was fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. His favorite dessert was his Grandmother Hoover’s Peach Cream Pie. So to honor President Hoover’s birthday today we are enjoying his favorite meal 🇺🇸