Letters to Ms. Liberty

The White House Pumpkin Cake is a historic, spiced Bundt-style cake that has appeared on the holiday menu since President Jimmy Carter's administration and has been requested at the White House during many autumns .  First Lady Rosalynn Carter hired Chef Roland Mesnier in 1979, and he created the autumn pumpkin cake recipe during the Carter administration, becoming known as a legendary White House Executive Pastry Chef.  The White House finally released this guarded recipe in 2011. First Lady Michelle Obama used pumpkins that were grown in her White House garden. Cake 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger ¾ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 1¼ cups dark brown sugar 4 eggs ¾ cup vegetable oil 7 ounces of pumpkin puree (either homemade or from a can) ¼ cup whole milk, lightly warmed Preheat the oven to 340° Fahrenheit. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, groun...