Eggs should be as fresh as possible; whites should be cold when separated from the yolks but at room temperature when beaten. Do not grease the cake container, a tube pan, and make sure all utensils are free from all oil and grease. For easy removal, a piece of waxed paper may be cut to fit the bottom of the tube pan. Use a thin knife to run around the sides of the baked cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan.
1 cup cake flour
1½ cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1½ cups egg whites
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Sift together flour and confectioners sugar three times.
3. With a wire whisk, beat egg whites until frothy. Add salt, vanilla and cream of tartar; beat until stiff and glossy but not dry. Add granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time. Using a motion of down-up-over, fold and blend well.
4. Gently distribute the cake batter evenly in an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Before removing the cake, place the pan over a bottle or large funnel on a counter. This will allow currents of air to pass under and over as the cake cools and dries.
6. Cake may be iced, sprinkled with powdered sugar, or served with a sugared fruit and topped with unsweetened cream. Garnish with a sprig of mint leaves.
Cynthiana native Elizabeth Cromwell Kremer, who worked in food service prior to raising a family, returned to the business for which she had a passion after her children left the nest. In 1967, she launched an eatery at the newly restored Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill near Harrodsburg that evolved into the Trustees’ Table restaurant visitors know and love today.
Kremer’s story is told in Simplicity and Excellence: Elizabeth Kremer from Beaten Biscuits to Shaker Lemon Pie, released in May by the University Press of Kentucky. Intertwined with the events of Kremer’s life are classic recipes for Shaker Village dishes that represent the simplicity and elegance of Kentucky cuisine.
Scaggs, Deirdre A. and Evalina Kremer Settle. Simplicity and Excellence: Elizabeth Kremer from Beaten Biscuits to Shaker Lemon Pie. pp. 52-53, 149-150, 174, 176, 183-184, 203, 206, 207. © 2024 The University Press of Kentucky. Used by permission.
Images courtesy of the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center.