Lady Baltimore Cake

This American classic is said to have been created toward the end of the 19th century by Florence and Nina Ottelengui who ran Charleston’s Lady Baltimore Tea Room. In 1906, when Owen Wister wrote a romance novel by the same name in which he poetically described this luscious dessert, the cake gained unmatched popularity and has been a Southern favorite ever since. Lady Baltimore is made of several layers of white sponge cake and a rich, marshmallow-like divinity frosting mixed with chopped nuts and dried fruits like raisins, figs, and dates. Also, apart from the egg-whites-only Lady cake, there is a version called Lord Baltimore which is made with leftover yolks and filled with toasted almonds, crushed macaroons, and candied cherries.