In honor of TODAY, being Presidents’ Day and National Almond Day, and since Almond Cake and Milk was one of President Lincoln’s favorite desserts, along with a Fruited Cream Dessert, here are Mom’s secret recipes for imitating them, as seen in her self-published newsletter, Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipe Report (Secret Recipe Report, St. Clair, MI; Issue 86, February 1981; p. 11). As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to re-share them.
Almond Cake And Milk & Fruited Cream Dessert
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipe Report (Secret Recipe Report, St. Clair, MI; Issue 86, February 1981; p. 11).
WHITE HOUSE STORIES handed down by the help tell how President Lincoln enjoyed only two desserts – one a fruited cream spooned over sliced poundcake and the other an almond cake, which he liked toasted and submerged in milk with sugar sprinkled on it.
Carl Sandberg, on the other hand, writes of young Lincoln’s love for gingerbread men cookies. In honor of his birthday, try these recipes. [See below.]
ALMOND CAKE AND MILK
INGREDIENTS:
[1-lb] packaged pound cake, sliced 1-inch thick
[OR make my Share-a-Lease Powdered Sugar Pound Cake]
[4-oz package] sliced almonds
[4 tsp] sugar, to taste
[1 cup] warm milk [OR Fruited Cream (below)]
INSTRUCTIONS:
Broiler toast [pound cake slices] until golden on both sides. Place in dessert dishes and sprinkle with sliced almonds, sugar to taste and warm milk. For 4. [OR serve a la mode style with Fruited Cream (below)…]
FRUITED CREAM DESSERT
INGREDIENTS:
4 egg whites
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar
10-oz jar maraschino cherries, drained well and chopped
3 bananas, peeled and sliced
2 cups seedless green grapes
3 oranges, peeled and sectioned
INSTRUCTIONS:
Beat egg whites until they hold their shape. Beat heavy cream until thick and beat in powdered sugar. Combine egg whites and cream [mixture]. Fold in [fruit, as listed]. Freeze and spoon into dessert dishes like an ice cream [or on almond pound cake slices (above), a la mode style]. Serves 4.
See also…
