SsoTuAtChKeErnD SUGAR
white cakes add elegance and
taste to holiday gatherings
There’s really no cake in the South quite as important as the white layer cake, served on the
holiday table and paraded across sideboards on heirloom, cut-glass cake stands.
Layer cakes are often over-the-top and grandiose, perfectly stacked and aligned with
2-inch-thick white, fluffy frosting. They are sweeter than sweet, but oh-so delicious. Whoever
coined the phrase “less is more” clearly didn’t eat Southern layer cakes.
Pies are for Thanksgiving, cakes are for Christmas; that’s the tradition. White layer cakes
convey elegance, graciousness and hospitality. These grand beauties require precisely fol-lowing
recipes that might have been handed down through generations, but it’s a labor of
love.
The flour needs to be sifted twice, at least, to allow for lots of air. Cake pans need careful
greasing and parchment lining. Nuts need chopping and slow roasting to bring out the depth
of their flavor. Egg whites need whipping and old-school boiled frosting needs simmering.
A layer cake follows a formula: cake-filling-cake-filling-frosting. The whole is greater than
the sum of the ingredients. These creations are more than just formulations of eggs, butter,
sugar and flour. They also incorporate history, tradition and comfort.
The list of Southern cakes could go on and on — angel cake, silver cakes, devil’s food,
pound cakes, with as many fillings and frostings to encase them. Some are named after
statesmen and generals or, like Lady Biltmore or Lane cake, made famous in books. Others
have more whimsical roots — including hummingbird and red velvet.
Layer cakes originated in the South and, like most recipes, each has a backstory. Layered
cakes or stack cakes became popular in the late 19th century, when the railroad and the
Industrial Revolution provided access to wheat flour and baking powder. Cakes became the
pride and joy of many cooks, especially around Christmas.
Highlighted here are some favorite confections. There is no ranking, they are simply fine
Southern cakes all quite different from one another, and all celebrating the holidays.
B Y C O L L E E N T H O M P S O N
85
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM