Prince of Wales Cake

A classic Canadian celebration cake built from two completely different batters baked side by side. The dark layer gets its deep color and warmth from molasses, brown sugar, raisins, nutmeg, and ground cloves. The white layer is delicate and tender, made with cornstarch blended into the flour and stiffly beaten egg whites folded in at the end.

The egg separation is what makes this cake work. Yolks go into the dark batter for richness, whites go into the light for lift. Sour milk in the dark layer reacts with the baking soda to give it rise while adding a subtle tang that balances all that molasses sweetness.

Dredge your raisins in flour before folding them in. This old-school trick keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the pan during baking.

A caramel or almond icing is the traditional finish. Either one complements both layers without competing.

Pro Tips

• Don’t have sour milk? Add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and let it sit five minutes.
• Beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks but aren’t dry. Overbeaten whites make the white layer tough.
• Both layers bake at the same temperature, so you can put them in the oven together if you have the rack space.
• Test with a toothpick at 50 minutes. Dense, raisin-heavy batters can look done on top while still wet inside.

Variations

• Layer the dark and white cakes together with cream cheese frosting for a striking two-tone slice.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dark batter for a warmer spice profile.
• Substitute currants for raisins for a more traditional British-style fruitcake flavor.