In the 1890s, Emma Rylander Lane created what she called her "Prize Cake," due to the fact that her recipe earned her several awards in baking competitions. But on the advice of a friend, Lane eventually christened the delicacy after herself, and the cake appeared as "Lane Cake" in her 1989 cookbook, Some Good Things to Eat. Below is her original recipe.
Lane Cake
Emma Rylander Lane, 1898
8 egg whites
1 cup butter
1 cup sweet milk
2 cups sifted sugar
3 cups sifted fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
Sift the flour and baking powder together three times, cream the butter and sugar until perfectly light, add to it alternately, little at a time, milk and flour, until all are used, beginning and ending with flour. Last, beat in the well-whipped whites and vanilla. Bake in four layers, using medium-sized pie tins, with one layer of ungreased brown paper in the bottom of each tin.
Filling—Beat well together eight egg yolks, one large cup of sugar, and half a cup of butter. Pour into a small, deep stew pan and cook on top of the stove until quite thick, stirring all the time, or it will be sure to burn. When done and while still hot, put in one cup of seeded and finely clipped raisins, one wine-glass of good whiskey or brandy and one teaspoon of vanilla. Spread thickly between the layers and ice. It is much better to be made a day or two before using.
Emma Rylander Lane, 1898
8 egg whites
1 cup butter
1 cup sweet milk
2 cups sifted sugar
3 cups sifted fl our
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
Sift the flour and baking powder together three times, cream the butter and sugar until perfectly light, add to it alternately, little at a time, milk and flour, until all are used, beginning and ending with flour. Last, beat in the well-whipped whites and vanilla. Bake in four layers, using medium-sized pie tins, with one layer of ungreased brown paper in the bottom of each tin.
Filling—Beat well together eight egg yolks, one large cup of sugar, and half a cup of butter. Pour into a small, deep stew pan and cook on top of the stove until quite thick, stirring all the time, or it will be sure to burn. When done and while still hot, put in one cup of seeded and finely clipped raisins, one wine-glass of good whiskey or brandy and one teaspoon of vanilla. Spread thickly between the layers and ice. It is much better to be made a day or two before using.