Here’s the recipe Miriam baked for Annie Mae and Adam’s wedding cake. As with most Amish recipes, it’s made with simple everyday ingredients, and the beaten egg whites produce a cake that’s lighter than a cake from a box mix. Using two 9” pans will make a standard two-layer cake, but this amount of batter also fills a 9 x 13” pan or a 2” deep 10” round pan. Don’t wait until someone gets married to try it!
4 egg whites
2 T. baking powder
2 C. sugar
½ C. shortening (Crisco, for instance)
1 C. cold water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ½ C. flour
Preheat oven to 350º. Cut wax paper to fit the bottoms of two 9” round cake pans. With the paper circles in place, spray the insides of the pans with nonstick coating.
Beat the egg whites with the baking powder until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, cream the sugar with the shortening, then add the cold water, vanilla, flour, and a pinch of salt. Fold in the egg whites.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cake springs back when touched in the center. Cool the cake layers for 15 minutes in the pans before turning them out onto wire racks. Carefully remove the paper and cool completely before frosting with your favorite frosting (or see the recipe for Buttercream Frosting)
Kitchen Hint: Cupcakes are so popular right now, and this recipe works well for those! Spray a muffin pan, or use cupcake papers. Check for doneness after about 10-12 minutes. This recipe makes a sweet, moist cake that freezes well, whatever form you bake it in.