Historic Washington Cake: an 1800’s Recipe Made Modern

Last updated on March 25th, 2025

What is a Washington Cake?

The Historic Washington Cake is a rich, tender pound cake that combines natural ingredients like currants soaked in brandy, and warm spices like nutmeg and cloves. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, it was prepared in honor of Washington’s Birthday on February 22nd. Also known as an “everyday cake”, it is similar to a Composition Cake, a basic adaptable recipe that predates the naming of cakes like “sponge cake” or “pound cake”, etc. Try baking up this historic vintage dessert to celebrate the upcoming President’s Day.

Washington Cake can sometimes be mistaken for Martha Washington’s Great Cake, a rich fruitcake made at Mt. Vernon on January 6th for Epiphany or Martha Washington’s Pie, which is a delicate sponge cake with fruit jam.

Recipe Research

Baking it Modern

To bake it Modern, I started by taking the original 1800’s recipes and broke them down into American modern measurements and modified it.

1 3/4 lbs. flour= 6 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 lbs. sugar = 3 1/3 c.

3/4 lb. butter = 1 1/2 c. butter (3 sticks)

8 eggs

1 pint warm milk = 2 c.

1 teaspoonfull of pearl ash dissolved in french brandy = 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

NOTE: Pearl Ash was a potassium carbonate chemical leavening agent used in early days.

2 lbs. currants or raisins, or 1 lb. of each, = 5 – 6 c. currants

2 nutmegs = 2 tsp.

6 cloves = 1/2 tsp.

1 teacup brandy = 1/3 c.

---

DRY INGREDIENTS

• butter: butter: American butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
• sugar: Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
• buttermilk: Buttermilk is a cultured dairy product that adds a tangy flavor and creates tenderness in baked goods. When purchasing buttermilk, look for simple, natural ingredients such as “cultured milk”. MAKE YOUR OWN! Add 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup and add cream or whole milk until it reaches the 1 c. measure line and let it sit for a few minutes before use.
• eggs: Eggs are important in baking because their protein provides structure, they are a natural leavener trapping air that expands during baking, and they add moisture to baked goods.
• brandy: French Brandy, also known as Cognac, is a high-quality 80-proof spirit double distilled in the Cognac region of France. Brandy ranges from 70-100 proof and is made worldwide from a blend of fruit juices and grapes.
• vanilla extract: Vanilla provides hints of caramel and spice, which enhances the depth of flavor in baked goods. Homemade vanilla is best, or use a high-quality, all-natural brand that contains at least 35% alcohol. MAKE YOUR OWN! Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 ounces of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.

DRY INGREDIENTS

• flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour that contains between 10-12% protein. My favorite is King Arthur or Sir Galahad Artisan Flour (its name when purchased in bulk) which contains 11.7% protein. Do NOT use Bread flour as it contains 11-14% protein, thus producing more gluten and yields dense baked goods.
• ClearJel: I add Instant ClearJel to almost all of my baked goods to give them a light and tender texture. Use cornstarch as a substitution if ClearJel is hard to find. For every 1 T. of cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. For every 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel. You can find it online here.
• Baking soda: Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that, when combined with an acid (such as lemon juice, buttermilk, or vinegar) creates carbon dioxide gas, and makes baked goods rise during baking. If your recipe doesn’t include an acid, use baking powder, or a combination of both baking powder and baking soda for balanced leavening.
• Baking powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains both an acid, like cream of tarter, and a base, like baking soda to help baked goods rise. Use a double-acting aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a bitter aftertaste.
• nutmeg: Nutmeg is a warm spice that comes from the nutmeg tree in the Spice Islands. It is available as whole nutmeg, grated or pre-ground.
• clove: Cloves are the dried flower buds from clove trees, grown in the Spice Islands. Whole cloves can infuse flavor into culinary dishes, where ground cloves add a warm, spicy kick to baked goods.
• currants: Zante currants are are a small, dried, dark seedless grapes berries. If you don’t have currants on hand, smaller type raisins such as Thompson variety are fine.

---

Dietary Substitutions

For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. Read more about it here.

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE

Here are some tips for gluten free baking

• Use a premium gluten-free flour blend. You can easily convert this recipe and your other favorite recipes using my premium gluten-free flour for proven, delicious results every time.

• Be sure to let the batter rest to help eliminate grittiness. Even letting the batter sit 15 minutes will yield a light and tender baked good. You can let batter sit in the fridge overnight, and up to 3 days.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons additional buttermilk to help hydrate the flour.
• Reduce the oven temperature by at least 25° to bake low and slow, since gluten-free flour is delicate and tend to burn before the center is cooked through.
• Gluten-free baked goods have a shorter shelf-life than conventional baked goods and dry out faster. Store in airtight container on counter 1-2 days, refrigerate 3-5 days, or seal in plastic and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. After pulling the container from the freezer, bring to room temperature before opening the lid.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE

• Replace the dairy with unsweetened oat or almond milk.
• Swap out the butter with unsalted vegan butter sticks.
• To replace the egg, place 1 tsp. of baking soda into your baked good and pour 1 T. white vinegar on top of the baking soda.

---

Equipment

Recommended tools: (affiliate links)

• stand mixer
• whisk
• mixing bowl
• liquid measuring cup
• measuring cups and spoons
• Nordic Ware bundt pan (any classic style will work)

---

Storage

Baked Cake: Cover in air-tight container and leave on counter up to 3 days. To freeze, cover in saran wrap and place in freezer-safe container up to 6 months. Thaw on counter in the container for 1/2 hour before opening up the container.

Unbaked Batter: Prepare batter and place in a sealed container up to 3-5 days in refrigerator.

More vintage cakes recipes:

Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out for you!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.