Mary Todd Lincoln's Vanilla Almond Cake Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cup milk
1 cup almonds, finely chopped
6 egg whites, stiffly beaten

***White Frosting***
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 dash salt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Cream together sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.
Stir together the cake flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture
alternately with milk. Stir in almonds. Gently fold in the egg whites. Pour into
two greased and lightly floured 9 x 1 1/2-inch round baking pans. Bake at 375
degrees F for 28 to 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Fill and frost
with White Frosting.
White Frosting: In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt.
Bring mixture to boiling, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
In mixing bowl place egg whites; very slowly pour the hot sugar syrup over,
beating constantly with electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.
Beat in vanilla extract.