Swan's Down High-Altitude White Cake for 5,000 ft Altitude
This is the original Swan’s Down high altitude white cake recipe. It’s been in use since around 1894, so I’d guess it’s pretty solid. And Swan’s Down is still around today, which is pretty remarkable as well. I use their cake flour and have had great results with it.
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
For Meringue in Batter (Prepare beforehand)
- 3 lg Egg Whites
- 1/4 cup Sugar
For Cake
- 2 cups Cake Flour I'm sure Swan's Down would appreciate a purchase.
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Sugar LESS 1 tbsp
- 1/2 cup Butter or Lard At room temperature.
- 1 cup Milk LESS 2 tbsp
- 1 tsp Vanilla
Instructions
- Have the shortening at room temperature. Grease and flour or line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and grease the top. Use two round 8-inch layers, 1 1/4 inches deep. Start oven for moderate heat (375° F).
- Prepare meringue by beating 3 egg whites with hand mixer until foamy; add 1/4 cup sugar gradually, beating only until meringue will hold up in soft peaks.
- The Mix-Easy Mixing Method (I actually use this. At high-altitude it works well, as you really don’t want too much air whipped into the butter/sugar.)
- Stir butter or lard just to soften. Sift in dry ingredients. Add 3/4 of the milk and mix until all flour is dampened. Then beat 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl.
- Add remaining milk, blend, then add meringue mixture and beat 1 minute longer.
- Turn batter into pans. Bake in moderate oven (375º F) 25 minutes, or until done.
- This cake may also be baked in a 9X9X2-inch pan or a 10X10X2-inch pan in moderate oven for 30 minutes, or until done.
