I stepped forward to the counter, adventurous, but polite. "I should like a slice, if you please, of Lady Baltimore," I said with extreme formality. I thought she was going to burst; but after an interesting second she replied, "Certainly." … I returned to the table and she brought me the cake, and I had my first felicitous meeting with Lady Baltimore. Oh, my goodness! Did you ever taste it? It's all soft, and it's in layers, and it has nuts--but I can't write any more about it; my mouth waters too much. Delighted surprise caused me once more to speak aloud, and with my mouth full. "But, dear me, this is delicious!" Owen Wister, Lady Baltimore, 1906 These words, spoken by a fictional character in Owen Wister’s book, inspired his readers to search for the Lady Baltimore cake recipe. According to legend, Wister had once tried a piece of this cake thought it so delicious that he decided to incorporate it into his novel. Lady Baltimore is traditionally a white cake with a white meringue frosting, and a filling of meringue, dried figs, raisins, and nuts. This holiday version includes cranberries to give it a festive flair. If you prefer the traditional version, just omit the cranberries