To one pound of extra refined sugar add one ounce of fine white starch; pound finely together and then sift them through gauze; then beat the whites of three eggs to a froth.  The secret of success is to beat the eggs long enough, and always one way; add the powdered sugar by degrees, or it will spoil the froth of the eggs.  When all the sugar is stirred in continue the whipping for half an hour longer, adding more sugar if the ice is too thin.  Take a little of the icing and lay it aside for ornamenting afterward.  When the cake comes out of the oven, spread the sugar icing smoothly over it with a knife and dry it at once in a cool oven.  For ornamenting the cake the icing may be tinged any color preferred.  For pink, use a few drops of cochineal; for yellow, a pinch of saffron dissolved; for green, the juice of some chopped spinach.  Whichever is chosen, let the coloring be first mixed with a little colorless spirit and then stirred into the white icing until the tint is deep enough.  To ornament the cake with it, make a cone of stiff writing paper and squeeze the colored icing through it, so as to form leaves, beading or letters, as the case may be.  It requires nicety and care to do it with success.

BOILED FROSTING.

To one pound of finest pulverized sugar add three wine-glassfuls of clear water.  Let it stand until it dissolves; then boil it until it is perfectly clear and threads from the spoon.  Beat well the whites of four eggs.  Pour the sugar into the dish with the eggs, but do not mix them until the syrup is luke-warm; then beat all well together for one-half hour.

Season to your taste with vanilla, rose-water, or lemon juice.  The first coating may be put on the cake as soon as it is well mixed.  Rub the cake with a little flour before you apply the icing.  While the first coat is drying continue to beat the remainder; you will not have to wait long if the cake is set in a warm place near the fire.  This is said to be a most excellent recipe for icing.

FROSTING WITHOUT EGGS.

An excellent frosting may be made without eggs or gelatine, which will keep longer and cut more easily, causing no breakage or crumbling and withal is very economical.

Take one cup of granulated sugar; dampen it with one-fourth of a cup of milk, or five tablespoonfuls; place it on the fire in a suitable dish and stir it until it boils; then let it boil for five minutes without stirring; remove it from the fire and set the dish in another of cold water; add flavoring.  While it is cooling, stir or beat it constantly and it will become a thick, creamy frosting.

GELATINE FROSTING.

Soak one teaspoonful of gelatine in one tablespoonful of cold water half an hour, dissolve in two tablespoonfuls of hot water; add one cup of powdered sugar and stir until smooth.