Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake was a favorite of the Lincoln family. In my former bakery, we used to refer to the cake as “the courtship cake” because Mrs. Lincoln often made the cake during their courtship and I like to think it won his heart ❤️
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 food processor until they resemble a coarse flour
1 Cup butter, softened
2 Cups granulated sugar
3 Cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 Cup whole milk
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectionary 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.
One of President Ronald Reagan’s favorite desserts was Mrs. Reagan’s Vienna Chocolate Bars. The recipe below has been slightly adapted from the original recipe.
Nancy Reagan’s Vienna Chocolate Bars
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1 jar (10 ounces) seedless raspberry preserves
2 cups pecans, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, cream the butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and egg yolks. Set the bowl aside.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt until blended. A
Add the flour to the butter mixture. Use your hands to mix the dough until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Spread the dough and use your hands to pat down the dough evenly onto a well greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.
Remove from the oven. Spread the raspberry preserves evenly onto the crust – covering from corner to corner. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the preserves.
In a medium bowl, add the egg whites and use an electric handheld mixer to beat until stiffened. Gently fold in the remaining granulated sugar (1 cup) and chopped pecans. Gently spread evenly over the preserves and chocolate chips.
Return to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool for at least an hour before slicing and serving into bars or squares.
Original recipe from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Several years ago, Family Circle Magazine had a First Lady Bake-Off from 1992-2016. The bake-off was a competition between the spouses of the presidential candidates.
Michelle Obama submitted a recipe in 2008 for her Shortbread Cookies vs. Cindy McCain’s Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies.
The readers of Family Circle Magazine voted in favor of Mrs. Obama’s Shortbread Cookies. This recipe has been slightly adapted from the original but is very similar to the original recipe that was submitted to the contest in 2008.
The cookies are quite delicious and I’m loving the citrus and almond flavors. For extra almond flavor – add chopped or slivered almonds to the top after baking!
Michelle Obama’s Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 cups cake flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg white, beaten
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease a regular sized baking sheet with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, use an electric handheld mixer to cream the butter and 1½ cups of sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat until the mixture is fluffy. Add the amaretto liqueur, lemon and orange zest and beat until combined.
Slowly add the flour and salt. Mix until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Spread the dough evenly on the prepared baking sheet – make sure the top is as smooth as possible. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg white onto the top. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn off the oven and allow the cookies to remain inside of the oven for 15 more minutes.
Remove from the oven and cut into squares while the cookies are warm.
For dinner last night my husband and I made Laura Bush’s Carrot-Ginger Soup. It was quite delicious! It’s something that will be a personal favorite of ours in the years to come.
One of President Ulysses S. Grant’s favorite comfort foods was rice pudding. He was also fond of good bourbon and a big breakfast (not in that order, of course!)
Even after hosting large scale dinner events at The White House (some were 29 courses!) he was known to enjoy a simple bowl of rice pudding at the end of these meals or after a long day at the office.
Rice Pudding
Ingredients
1 egg
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup short grain rice
A pinch of salt
A pinch of cinnamon
Directions
In a small bowl, add the egg, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Whisk until blended. Set the bowl aside.
In a medium sized saucepan, add the heavy whipping cream, rice and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender after 20-25 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
After the rice has simmered and is tender, add about half of a cup of the hot rice mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk quickly to temper the egg mixture.
Add the egg mixture to the saucepan that has the remaining rice mixture. Stir and continue to cook on a low heat for at least 5-10 minutes or until the pudding has thickened. Do not allow the pudding to come to a boil. Remove from the heat immediately. The pudding will thicken even more after a few minutes.
If desired, sprinkle with additional cinnamon and serve immediately.
In honor of Presidents Day I’ve made a delicious cake which, of course, has special significant history.
The White Cake with Raspberry Buttercream filling was served at the wedding reception of President and Mrs. Kennedy on September 12, 1953.
The cake was also served at President Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961 and for his 100th birthday celebration at The Kennedy Library.
It became such a beloved and popular cake and was later served at the inauguration celebrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Presidents Cake
Cake Ingredients
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup olive oil
2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon almond extract
2 ⅔ cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 Tablespoons Whole Milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by lining the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper and generously greasing.
In a large bowl, use a handheld electric mixer to beat the butter on medium-low speed until light and creamy.
Add sugar and olive oil and beat until all of the ingredients are well-combined and creamy.
Add in the almond extract and stir.
In separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the milk. Mix together really well.
Add the flour ingredients to the butter mixture and use an electric handheld mixer to mix together really well until all is well blended.
In separate bowl add the egg whites and using a hand-mixer on high-speed to beat until stiff peaks form.
Use a spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Mix well but do not over-mix.
Evenly divide the cake batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pans. Cool the cakes completely on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream Frosting Directions
In a large bowl, use an electric handheld mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy – 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add in the confectioners sugar and continue to mix. Add milk, vanilla, salt and continue mixing. If the buttercream is too thick, add more milk if needed.
Divide the buttercream in half into two separate bowls. Add a teaspoon of raspberry jam into one bowl and mix together to use for the layer of buttercream raspberry frosting.
For the bottom layer of the cake, add a layer of raspberry jam.
Pipe raspberry buttercream frosting directly into the top of the jam.
Add the second cake layer.
Frost the top and sides of the cake with the white buttercream frosting. Use a frosting piping bag to add dollops to the top of the cake with the remaining raspberry buttercream frosting.
During the Civil War, sugar was scarce and rationed due to the Union blockades preventing the importation of sugar from the ports in Louisiana, Florida and the Carribean to the ports in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Molasses was often used as a replacement for sugar – which was also less expensive to use.
Soldiers would often, when possible, receive care packages from their loved ones at home which included cookies, cakes and socks. Molasses Cookies were a popular cookie to send to the soldiers during this time.
Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg ¼ teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves and salt. Whisk until combined. Set the bowl aside.
In large bowl, add the brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg and mix until thoroughly blended. Stir in the flour mixture and mix well.
Shape the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into 1 1/2-inch balls. Dip into a small bowl of granulated sugar. Place the cookie balls onto an ungreased baking sheet and space 2 inches apart.
Bake for 13 to 16 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to set. Remove the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
There is nothing as comforting as the smooth and warm classic Virginia Peanut Soup. Born and raised in Virginia, I wanted to add a recipe that paid homage to my home. The soup can be found at many historic restaurants throughout Colonial Williamsburg and is a favorite of mine at The Wayside Inn in Middletown, Virginia. The Wayside Inn is the oldest and longest continuously operating inn of the United States – since 1797.
In a medium saucepan, add three tablespoons butter and cook over medium heat until the butter is completely melted. Add in the vegetables and sauté for 7-10 minutes until the onions are translucent. Stirring occasionally. Add the last tablespoon of butter and stir until melted. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, one tablespoon at a time, and stir continuously to prevent the mixture from being lumpy. Continue cooking the vegetables for at least 5 more minutes or until the flour is a light golden brown. Stir in the chicken stock and bring a full boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.
Add the peanut butter and spices. Use an immersion blender or pour the liquid into a blender and blend the vegetables into a smooth and creamy mixture.
If any lumps occur, pass the soup through a fine mesh strainer to remove.
Pour the creamy mixture into the saucepan and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
Optional: Garnish with chopped peanuts before serving.
I recently made Rosalynn Carter’s Chicken and Rice Casserole for dinner. It is a wonderful comfort food for dinner on a cold winter evening.
Mrs. Carter’s recipe was published in The Atlanta Journal on 20 January 20, 1977.
Rosalynn Carter’s Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
1 chicken – cut up and seasoned
½ stick butter
1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained (save liquid)
4 large onions
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup uncooked rice (do not use Minute Rice)
Directions
Melt butter in casserole. Place chicken in layers with onions and mushrooms. Cook. Covered, for 1 ½ hours at 350 degrees. Remove chicken, add enough boiling water to mushroom liquid to make 4 ½ cups of broth in casserole. Dissolve bouillon cubes in broth. Add rice, replace chicken and cook for 1 hour.
At home in Virginia at his beloved Monticello, Thomas Jefferson had a large garden of different varieties of basically anything you can possibly think of. From herbs to fruits to the most delicious vegetables – including asparagus which was one of his personal favorites.
Thomas Jefferson’s Marinated Asparagus
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, stems peeled and trimmed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Pinch fresh thyme
Pinch chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg, hard cooked and chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fine capers, drained
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Directions
Wash the asparagus and trim the tough ends of the stalks. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Place the asparagus in the water and cook until just tender, 2-3 minutes.
Drain asparagus. Add enough cold water to cover the asparagus. Let stand about 5 minutes, until the asparagus is cool.
Drain again and pat the asparagus dry with paper towels. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, thyme, parsley, egg, onion, and capers, and salt and pepper to taste.
Place the asparagus on a serving platter. Pour the vinaigrette evenly over the asparagus. Let the asparagus marinate in the dressing for a few minutes (optional). Garnish with additional chopped egg and parsley, if desired.
The Historical Homemaker 