The Sam Houston White Cake may have been popularized by the Imperial Sugar Company (Sugar Land, TX) on its products and in its recipe books. The cake is seldom served today. No one knows if Sam Houston really ate this particular white cake.
 
 
125th Anniversary Cookbook
Imperial Sugar Company
Sugar Land, Texas
1968
Pg. 15: 
Sam Houston White Cake
An heirloom recipe favorite of early Texas.
(A recipe follows, similar to the one on its website, below—ed.)
 
Imperial Sugar Company Recipes
Sam Houston White Cake
3/4 C butter or margarine
2 C Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar or Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
3 C sifted flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 C milk
1/2 C water
6 egg whites, beaten until stiff but not dry
1/3 tsp lemon, rose or almond extract

Cream butter or margarine until soft and light.  Add sugar gradually and continue creaming for several minutes to incorporate as much air as possible.  Mix flour and baking powder and sift three times.  Add extract to milk and water.  Add flour alternately with liquid to creamed mixture; beat well after each addition.  Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold immediately into batter, blending thoroughly but quickly.  Avoid beating.  Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9” layer cake pans.  Bake in moderately hot oven (350 degrees F) for 30 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes and remove from pans onto wire rack.

Use 1/2 the recipe for Lemon Filling between the layers and frost top and sides with White Mountain Frosting.  Or for a pure white cake, use Ever Ready Frosting between and on top and sides of layers. 
 
Cooks.com
SAM HOUSTON WHITE CAKE  
3/4 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
6 egg whites
Chocolate Frosting

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Combine milk and water. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in flavorings. Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.
Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove layers from pans and let cool completely. Spread Chocolate Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake. Yield: One 3 layer cake.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
3 (1 oz.) sq. unsweetened chocolate
4 c. sifted powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. hot water
3 egg yolks
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place chocolate in top of a double boiler; place over boiling water and cook until melted. Remove from heat; add sugar, salt and hot water. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer until thoroughly blended. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add butter and vanilla, beating until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Yield: Enough for one 3 layer cake.
 
Texas A&M Library and Archives
Rita Crocker Clements Personal Papers
1932-2001
Mansion Administrator—Joann Cook Files
1979-1982
 
48-39   Mansion—Recipes, Copies of recipes some of which Mrs. Clements frequently sent out to groups who were compiling cookbooks including Cranberry Nut Bread, Pecan Tassies, Chicken Tortilla Casserole, Chicken Enchiladas, A One Dish Dinner, Lemon Bars, Barbara’s Chili, First Lady of Texas Cheese Ball, and Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream.  Also includes a menu with recipes for the meal including Spinach Salad, Chicken Crepes with Cranberry Molds, Carrot Strips with Lemon Butter, and Lemon Surprise and a letter from Mrs. Price Daniel with copies of the recipes for Sam Houston White Cake and White Mountain Frosting.
 
7 November 1963, Dallas Morning News, “Cake Reminiscent Of Earlier Days,” section 5, pg. 15:
Typical of the desserts enjoyed in Sam Houston’s home was a handsome white cake, delicate in texture to end the meal lightly. Your family will enjoy it too. The recipe is given in present day terms along with a delicious frosting to please the chocolate fans.
 
SAM HOUSTON WHITE CAKE
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 teaspoon almond flavoring
6 egg whites
Cream butter until soft and light. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue creaming several minutes to incorporate as much air as possible. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; sift three times. Add flavorings to milk and water. Add flour alternately with liquid to creamed mixture; beat well after each addition. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry; fold immediately into batter, blending wel but do not beat. Pour into three greased and floured 9-inch layered pans. Bake at 350 F., 25 minutes. Cool five minutes, then turn onto cooling racks and remove pans. When cool, fill and frost with:
 
SHINY CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Melt three 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate over hot water. Remove from water and stir in 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup hot water. One at a time, beat in 3 eggs’ yolks. Beating well, add 1/4 cup melted butter, a little at a time, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread between layers and over cake.