This recipe will make two layer-cakes which may be spread with any of the cake fillings or icings.

To make small cakes omit one of the egg-whites, fill well-buttered gem pans a little more than half full, and bake in a moderately hot oven until a delicate brown.  The white reserved may be beaten to a stiff froth and then gradually stir in four tablespoons of powdered sugar and the juice of half a lemon.  When the cakes are cool, spread with the icing and decorate with raisins, nut meats, one on top of each or sprinkle with candied caraway seeds.

CUP CAKE

Cream one cup of butter with two cups of sugar and add gradually the yolks of four eggs, one at a time.  Sift three cups of flour, measure again after sifting, and add two teaspoons of baking-powder in the last sifting.  Add alternately the sifted flour and one cup of sweet milk.  Add last the beaten whites of the eggs.  Flavor to taste.  Bake in loaf or jelly-tins.

GOLD CAKE

Take one cup of powdered sugar, one-half cup of butter rubbed to a cream; add yolks of six eggs and stir until very light.  Then sift two cups of flour with one and one-half teaspoons of baking-powder sifted in well (sift the flour two or three times).  Grate in the peel of a lemon or an orange, add the juice also, and add three-quarters cup of milk alternately with the flour.  Bake in moderate oven.

WHITE CAKE

Cream three-quarters cup of butter and one and one-quarter cups of sugar very well.  Stop stirring, pour one-half cup of cold water on top of butter mixture and whites of eight eggs slightly beaten on top of water; do not stir, add one teaspoon of vanilla.  Sift two and one-half cups of pastry flour, measure, then mix with two heaping teaspoons of baking-powder, and sift three times.  Add to cake mixture and then beat hard until very smooth.  Turn into ungreased angel cake pan, place in slow oven.  Let cake rise to top of pan, then increase heat and bake until firm.  Invert pan, when cool cut out.

MARBLE CAKE

Take two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, four eggs (yolks), one cup of milk, three cups of flour, and three teaspoons of baking-powder (scant).  Cream the butter and sugar, and add the yolks of eggs.  Then add the milk, flour, baking-powder, and the beaten whites of the eggs; flavor with lemon.  To make the brown part; take a square of bitter chocolate and melt above steam, and mix with some of the white; flavor the brown with vanilla.  Put first a tablespoon of brown batter in the pan, and then the white.  Bake in quick oven thirty-five minutes.

LEMON CAKE

Rub to a cream one-half cup of butter with one and one-half cups of pulverized sugar and add gradually the yolks of three eggs, one at a time, and one-half cup of sweet milk.  Sift two cups of flour with one teaspoon of baking-powder, add alternately with the milk and the stiffly-beaten whites of three eggs.  Add the grated peel of one-half lemon and the juice of one lemon.  Bake in moderate oven thirty minutes.