Mary Todd Lincoln's White Almond Cake

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Step back in time and take a taste of history with Mary Todd Lincoln's White Almond Cake, a Civil War era treat that's deliciously sweet. Luckily today with modern appliances, we can make this cake in just a fraction of the time it would have taken the First Lady.

Can't get enough of desserts from a bygone era that are still loved and enjoyed today? Try Jam Filled Ebelskivers and our Dutch Oven Apple Cake.

Mary Todd Lincoln's White Almond Cake in a cast iron bundt ban.

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History of Mrs. Lincoln's famous cake
Recipe ingredients:
How to make the Mary Todd Lincoln's White Almond Cake
Recipe FAQs
Other Related Dessert Recipes
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History of Mrs. Lincoln's famous cake

Kentucky-born Mary Todd grew up in an affluent home with many of the niceties of the day. Story goes that her family was served this cake at one of their catered events and they loved it so much, they got the recipe from the caterers.

When Miss. Todd and Abraham Lincoln began courting, she made him this cake. He is said to have absolutely loved it. The cake was simple enough for his tastes but lavish enough for hers.

Mrs. Lincoln continued to bake this cake after they were married and while they served as President and First Lady of the United States for state dinners.

This white almond cake truly has a presidential seal of approval.

Recipe ingredients:

Labeled ingredients needed for making the recipe.

Dry Goods — all-purpose flour, baking powder, and granulated sugar. Powdered sugar for garnishing.
Dairy — milk and butter. We recommend using salted butter and softened at room temperature.
Almonds — blanched almonds, whole is preferred but halves or slivers will work.
Almond extract — enhances the natural almond flavor.
Eggs — just egg whites.

White almond cake dusted with powdered sugar, ready for serving.

How to make the Mary Todd Lincoln's White Almond Cake

Step by step process pictures of the first 3 steps in making the cake.

Step 1 — Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease the bundt pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl; set aside.

Step 2 — Add the almonds to a food processor and blend until it begins to resemble flour.

Pro Tip:

The natural oils in the almonds cause the mixture to have a damp feel. As they are processed, the flour will clump so stop occasionally to scrap down the sides and loosen any compacted flour.

Step 3 — Cream the butter and sugar using a mixer until smooth. Add the almond extract.

The last three steps in process shots for making the white almond cake.

Step 4 — Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture until combined then slowly incorporate the milk.

Step 5 — Fold in the almond flour to the forming batter.

Step 6 — In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until stiff peaks form then gently fold egg whites into batter. Pour into the prepared bundt pan and bake for one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Garnish with powdered sugar.

White almond cake on a cutting board in front of a fire with slices missing to show inside texture.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use all the whole egg, instead of just the whites?

Yes, decrease the amount to 3 full eggs. It will be a bit denser and not as white in appearance.

Can I make this without eggs?

Yes you can. The batter will be thicker, heavier, closer to a bread dough texture than a cake batter, but will cook up deliciously.

What's the best way to separate egg whites?

There's a lot of different methods, you can crack an egg in half and pass the egg between both halves to separate the whites from the yolk. You could also use a small wire mesh sieve over a bowl, the white will drip through and the yolk will remain. Or with very clean hands you can put the egg in your hands and allow the white to go between your fingers into a bowl and the yolk will remain in your hands.

Can I use a regular bundt pan instead of a cast iron one?

Yes, absolutely.

What can I bake this in besides a bundt pan?

Use a 9x13 baking dish or a 10" cast iron skillet.

What is the best way to store leftover cake?

Wrap completely in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

Can I use packaged almond flour instead of grinding almonds?

Yes you can. Freshly ground blanched almonds provide a slightly different texture than packaged almond flour but it will work.