Washington Pie

Washington Pie, like Boston Cream Pie, is actually a cake. It’s a super simple sponge cake filled with jam and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar, and it’s a really lovely cake that comes together easily. I’m using a hot milk style sponge cake that gives you a very fool-proof sponge base, and homemade triple berry jam.

I love a dessert that leans towards the simple side and this is the perfect example. Let me show you how to make it!

How to Make Washington Pie

Starting out with the sponge cake, this is a hot milk method where you rely heavily on eggs for leavening. This recipe does, however, also use some baking powder to help support the rise in the cake and give you a really fool-proof option.

We’re starting out by whipping together the eggs and sugar in a bowl until it becomes very thick and much lighter in color. I find that this is easiest with an electric hand mixer using the whisk attachment. Then stir in some vanilla extract or paste.

From there you want to sift the dry ingredients into the mixture, using a rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture into the eggs. You want to take your time and be gentle, folding until there are no dry pockets of flour remaining in the bowl.

Finally, we’re adding some melted butter along with hot milk. Again, you want to gently fold it together until everything is well combined and you have a thin, light batter. Pour this into your prepared cake pan and then bake until the cake has risen, is golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely before slicing and filling. I’m using a triple berry jam that I made- if you want to see my method for making jam, you can find it here. Spread an even, generous layer of jam in the middle, and top it with the top layer of cake.

From there, simply dust some powdered sugar on top and slice to enjoy!

Tips & Tricks for Washington Pie

Here are my tips to help you make the perfect Washington Pie

• Use room temperature eggs to ensure that whip up into thick, glossy ribbons.
• Be sure to be gentle when folding ingredients in: This helps keep the cake properly airy after whipping the eggs and will contribute to the rise and texture of the finished cake.
• How do I know when the cake is finished baking? The cake will become tall, golden brown all over the top, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.
• Be sure to cool the cake completely before slicing and filling or else the jam will melt out and the powdered sugar will dissolve quickly on top.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Print

Washington Pie

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2/3 cups whole milk
• 2 tbs melted butter
• 1/3 cup jam
• 2 tbs. powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 inch cake pan. Optionally, line the pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar with an electric hand mixer until the mixture becomes very thick and pale. Continue whipping until the mixture is very thick and fluffy, and leaves ribbons on the batter when you lift the beaters. This should take about 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla paste and stir to combine.
3. Sift the flour mixture into the eggs, and gently fold it together until there are no steaks of flour remaining. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the milk and melted butter in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds, or until it feels very warm to the touch, but it’s not boiling. Fold the warm milk into the batter until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool completely in the pan before removing to serve.
5. Slice the cake into two layers, and spread the jam evenly on top of the first layer. Then place the top layer on top, and dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.
6. Store the cake covered at room temperature for 5-7 days.

Nicole Hampton

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!