Lord Baltimore Cake

The Lord Baltimore cake is the golden, yolk-rich counterpart to the all-white Lady Baltimore cake, and this recipe leans fully into that richness. Eight egg yolks give the batter an unmistakable deep yellow color and a tender, almost custard-like crumb that melts on the tongue. Three extracts (vanilla, almond, and lemon) layer complex, perfumed flavors into every bite.

Cake flour and a full tablespoon of baking powder keep the texture light despite all those yolks. Creaming the butter and sugar until truly fluffy, then adding the beaten yolks slowly, builds the structure that lets these three layers rise tall and even.

Chef Tips

• Beat the egg yolks until thick and pale before adding them to the creamed butter. This traps air and contributes to the cake’s lift.
• Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk in stages: start and end with flour. This prevents the batter from curdling.
• Grease AND flour all three pans. Cake flour batter sticks tenaciously to unfloured surfaces.
• Invert the layers immediately after removing from the oven and cool upside down to prevent sinking in the center.

Variations

• Fill and frost with a traditional Lord Baltimore frosting: boiled icing folded with chopped pecans, maraschino cherries, and crushed macaroons.
• Use a simple buttercream if you want a quicker frosting option. A lemon or almond buttercream complements the triple-extract cake beautifully.
• Save the 8 egg whites for a batch of meringue cookies or a classic angel food cake.