For cakes which contain butter, cream the butter, warm slightly if hard, add sugar gradually, and beat. When smooth add the yolks of eggs or whole eggs (beaten light) and the milk. Then sift in the flour, which has been mixed with the baking powder and spices. When the yolks and whites are beaten separately, the whites are usually added last.

A cake can be made fine-grained by long beating; light and delicate with a small amount of beating. Never stir cake after the final beating. For cakes which do not contain butter, separate the whites and yolks of eggs. Beat the yolks until thick, add sugar gradually, and continue beating; add flavoring. Beat whites until stiff and dry and add to mixture.

Sift the flour with the salt and cut and fold in lightly at the last. Do not beat mixture after flour is added, if baking powder is not used.

Light Cake.

Cream one cup of butter, and work in gradually one and one-half cups of sugar. Separate three eggs, beat the yolks, pour in one-half cup of milk, and add to the creamed butter. Sift with three cups of flour two teaspoonfuls baking powder and add to mixture. Beat well to make a smooth batter. Beat the whites until stiff and fold lightly into the batter. One cup currants or nuts, well flavored, may be added. Bake in round, shallow pans; put the cakes together with jelly between.

Sponge Cake.

Three eggs, one and one-half cups flour, one and one-half cups sugar, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, two teaspoonfuls vanilla or lemon, one-half cup boiling water. Beat the whites and yolks separately until light, then put together and beat again, sift in sugar, a little at a time, add flavoring, flour and baking powder, beat all together, last stir in hot water, bake in two layers, and ice.

Pound Cake.

Take one pound each of flour, sugar, and eggs, three-quarters pound of butter, one nutmeg, one teaspoonful of mace. Cream half the flour with the butter, add spice. Beat the yolks of the eggs and add the sugar, then add the beaten whites and the remaining flour. When this is done mix all thoroughly, beating for half an hour. This, if properly baked, makes an excellent cake.