Today in American History…Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809.
Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake was a favorite of the Lincoln family. The cake was often made for special family events. It is also documented as being on the dessert table at the Lincoln home in Springfield, Illinois, for the celebration of President Lincoln being elected to the Presidency for the first time on November 6, 1860.
Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake was a favorite of the Lincoln family.
The cake was often made for special family events. It is also documented as being on the dessert table at the Lincoln home in Springfield, Illinois, for the celebration of President Lincoln being elected to the Presidency for the first time on November 6, 1860.
Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake
Ingredients
1 Cup blanched almonds, chopped in a tood processor until they resemble a coarse flour
1 Cup butter, softened
1 Cups granulated sugar
2 Cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 Cup whole milk
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.
Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour and baking powder 3 times. Add to creamed butter and sugar, alternating with milk. Stir in almonds and beat well.
Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour into prepared pan and and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and cool. When cool, sift confectionary sugar over the top.
Mix all dry ingredients together. Add egg, onion, and buttermilk.
Drop batter by small spoonfuls into deep oil. They will sink toward the bottom, then pop back to top. Turn if they don’t pop over when brown on one side. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
President Millard Fillmore liked simple foods which included basically meat, potatoes and vegetables.
One of the family’s favorites was Mrs. Fillmore’s Whole Stuffed Tomatoes. Her personal recipe is from the cookbook The First Ladies Cookbook-Favorite Recipes of All the Presidents of the United States from 1965.
Abigail Fillmore’s Whole Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
6 firm ripe tomatoes 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons butter or dripping butter in dabs
Select tomatoes of equal size. Cut a piece from the stem end of each, and remove the centers, being careful not to break the wall.
For the stuffing: Use the centers of the tomatoes diced, crumbs seasoning and the butter or drippings. Mix well. Sprinkle each tomato with salt and pepper. Fill each tomato with the stuffing.
Place into baking dish. Place a dab of butter on each.
Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) until tender, about 1/2 hour.
This is probably one of the easiest sweet treats I’ve ever made. Simple ingredients. Delicious! They are perfect to just grab on the go and enjoy.
Peanut Butter Oat No Bakes
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, creamy peanut butter, and honey or maple syrup. Stir until well combined.
If adding chocolate chips, fold into the mixture.
Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Evenly distribute the mixture into the muffin cups and press down with your fingers firmly to create a compact layer.
Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the no bakes to set.
Devil’s Food Cake was a favorite of President Chester Arthur’s during his Presidency (1881-1885).
The cake became popular in the Southern states in the late nineteenth century around 1900. Its popularity probably really took off when the first known recipe was published in Sarah Tyson Rorer’s cookbook Mrs. Rorer’s New Cook Book in 1902.
Devil’s Food Cake
Ingredients
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
1 Cup Water
3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Sour Cream
2 Large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8″ round cake pans by lining with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set the pans aside.
In a medium-sized saucepan, add the butter, milk, water and cocoa powder. Cook over medium-low heat and stir frequently until the butter is completely melted. Bring to a medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil – make sure to stir constantly! Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. During this time, start making the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Whisk the chocolate mixture once more to combine and pour the mixture into the flour mixture. Stir really well until smooth.
Add in the sour cream and stir well until combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and stir well until the cake batter is smooth.
Divide the batter and pour evenly into the prepared baking pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to rest in the pans to cool for at least ten minutes before carefully removing.
When removing the cakes from the pans, allow them to cool completely before frosting the cakes.
Some prefer chocolate frosting – I personally prefer a white buttercream frosting with this cake (my husband prefers peanut butter frosting!)
Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
1 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
4-5 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1/4 Cup Whole Milk
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Pinch of salt (optional)
Directions
Add the ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl. Use a hand held or stand alone mixer and mix on low speed until the frosting is of your preferred liking. If more milk is needed, add a little bit at a time.
I’ve been craving my Nonna’s homemade Almond Biscotti. I think of her often – she was such a huge influence in my life. I miss her presence and I miss her authentic Italian cooking – especially her homemade Almond Biscotti.
I don’t know why I’ve never made it. I think I shied away because it seemed time consuming and difficult – after all it is a TWICE baked cookie.
Well today…I was determined and going to make it and challenge myself. I wanted to taste homemade Almond Biscotti – and for a second be transported back to my childhood and back in my Nonna’s kitchen…watching her carefully make biscotti.
She always dipped each piece into her coffee. Funny how I can remember these small details but can’t remember in my hurried life if I’ve put on deodorant when I’m running late out the door to go to work 😭
Well…I conquered my biscotti challenge and it was a success. They came out perfect and tasted almost as good as my Nonna’s. I even dipped a piece in coffee – just because 😉
Ti Ammo, Nonna ❤️ Viva Italia 🇮🇹
Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Sliced Almonds
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and almonds and whisk to thoroughly combine.
Set the bowl aside.
In a small bowl, combine the eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract. Whisk to fully combine.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix and combine until a dough forms.
Add the dough onto a floured work surface and knead a couple of times until the dough comes together – add extra flour if necessary.
Start to form the dough into a big, fat cigar and cut it in half. Form each half into a cigar about 1 inch thick, 2 inches wide and about 12 inches long. Place them onto the baking sheet and lightly press with fingers to slightly flatten.
Bake for 25 minutes – reverse the baking sheet halfway through. The biscotti will be firm to the touch and just slightly browned.
Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 300 degrees.
Allow the biscotti to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 15 minutes.
Carefully remove to a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to slice the biscotti on an angle about 1/2 inch thick to form the biscotti.
Return the biscotti back to a parchment lined baking sheet with either cut side down and place back in the oven for 15 minutes.
Turn over each biscotti and return to the oven to bake for another 15 minutes.
Allow the biscotti to cool on a cooling rack rack to room temperature.
Michelle Obama submitted her White & Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe to Family Circle Magazine in 2012 for the potential First Lady Cookie Bake-Off.
Mrs. Obama had submitted the cookie recipe for the cookie bake-off against Anne Romney.
For the contest, voters had the chance to vote which cookie they liked the most and it was predicted that the winner of the cookie contest’s husband would be elected to the Presidency. Mrs Obama’s cookie did win the contest that year and as they say…the rest is history.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 stick Crisco butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening (I used a stick of unsalted butter vs the shortening)
¾ cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup each white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips and mint chocolate chips, or Andes mint pieces.
2 cups chopped walnuts
Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in flour mixture. By hand, stir in white and milk chocolate chips, mint chips and walnuts.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Michelle Obama’s White & Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Family Circle’s Magazine’s First Lady Cookie Bake-Off contest ran from 1992-2016. In 2012, Michelle Obama submitted her recipe for White & Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies while Ann Romney submitted her M&M Cookie recipe.
For the contest, voters had the chance to decide which cookie they liked the most. It was a fun prediction that the husband of the winner of the cookie contest would be elected to the Presidency. Mrs Obama’s cookie did win the contest that year and as they say… the rest is history.
While being interviewed by ABC News in 2012, Michelle Obama said:
“Every evening, Barack, the girls and I sit down for a family dinner with good conversation and healthy food. If we want to splurge, these White and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies, created by the girls’ godmother, are the perfect special treat,”
To be completely honest…I’m not a huge fan of plain chocolate chip cookies. They are probably my least favorite actually. However, I love white chocolate and mint anything so the combination of all three in this cookie? It’s truly one of my favorite cookies of all time!
White & Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 stick Crisco butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening (I used a stick of unsalted butter vs the shortening)
¾ cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup each white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate) and mint chocolate chips or Andes mint pieces.
2 cups chopped walnuts
Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter, vegetable shortening (or butter) granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in flour mixture. By hand, stir in white and milk chocolate chips, mint chips and walnuts.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool com-pletely.
The Historical Homemaker 