White House Spice Cake Recipes

MOIST, TENDER SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9-by-13-inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.
• Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan.
• Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack. Let cool.

SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 375.
• Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
• Pour into a buttered 9x12 pan.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes (or until firm in the middle).
• Cool on a rack before cutting.

WHITE HOUSE APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch cake pan and place a silicone sheet or parchment paper on the bottom. (You can substitute a 10-inch spring-form pan, as long as it is tightly sealed at the bottom.)
• With a handheld or electric mixer, combine the oil, brown sugar, honey, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the liquid mixture, and mix on a low speed until combined.
• Add the grated apples and the remainder of the dry ingredients. Finish mixing by hand, and pour into the greased cake mold. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Make the maple glaze: Stir maple syrup and confectioner's sugar over low heat in a small saucepan until combined. Then increase the heat and boil for 30 seconds. Set aside on the stove top, off the heat.
• To finish the cake, run a paring knife around the edge of the cake pan. Invert a serving dish on top of the cake and then flip the cake over onto the dish, carefully lifting away the cake pan. Re-warm the maple glaze, stir it and pour it over the warm cake. You may decorate the platter with peeled orange sections. The cake will stay moist overnight if covered with foil. It does not need to be refrigerated.

WHITE HOUSE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, currants, candied fruits, glazed fruits, candied pineapple, pecans and almonds with the bourbon and brandy in a large bowl. Refrigerate overnight, or if possible, for two days.
• Beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey, one-third cup of all-purpose flour, grated lemon rind, almond and vanilla extracts until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift together one cup of all-purpose flour, one cup of cake flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon together. Add to the batter and beat until well mixed. Combine batter with the fruit and nut mixture, mixing well.
• Grease three 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch pans. Line the bottoms and sides with aluminum foil; grease the foil. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing tops.
• Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. If tops are browning too fast, cover lightly with buttered foil.
• While the cakes are baking, bring the apricot preserves to a hard boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and while they are still hot, sprinkle with the rum. Then brush with the hot apricot jam.
• Mix enough bourbon with confectioners' sugar and butter to make a frosting that is thin enough to spread on top of the apricot jam while the cakes are still warm.
• Cool cakes in pans on wire rack. Allow frosting to dry. Remove cakes from pans; peel off foil. Cool completely. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Cake should be sliced chilled.