This section is from the book "Economical Cookery", by Marion Harris Neil. Also available from Amazon: Economical Cookery (1918).
Boil one cup sugar with one half cup water until it forms soft ball when tried in cold water, or reaches 240° F. on candy thermometer; pour on to stiffly beaten white of one egg, pouring in a steady stream; add, while beating, one teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until thick and spread over cold cake.
1/2 cup (4 ozs.) butter substitute
1 cup (1/2 lb.) sugar, brown or white
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup (1 gill) milk
1 cup (1/4 lb.) potato flour
1 cup (1/4 lb.) flour
Beat shortening and sugar to a cream, add yolks of eggs well beaten, milk, whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and flours sifted with baking powder and salt. Mix well, divide into two greased and floured layer tins, and bake in moderate oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes. Turn out to cool.
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ozs.) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons boiling coffee
1 1/2 tablespoons butter substitute, melted 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Into a bowl sift powdered sugar and cocoa, add coffee, butter substitute, and extract, and beat five minutes. Spread between layers and sift powdered sugar over top layer.
Another Method. Put one cup maple sugar, one cup brown sugar, and one cup milk into a saucepan, heat slowly, stirring constantly until boiling point is reached, boil steadily without stirring until a soft ball is formed when tested in cold water, remove from fire, and stir in one cup chopped nut meats and one teaspoon lemon extract.
Spread between layers and on top of cake.
1 cup (4 ozs.) flour
1 cup (8 ozs.) sugar, brown or white 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (2 ozs.) butter substitute
2 eggs
Milk
1/2| teaspoon almond extract
Into a bowl sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Melt shortening in a cup, into this break eggs, fill to top with milk, add to dry ingredients with extract, mix well, and bake. This mixture will fill three six-inch pans, or two eight-inch pans.
3/4 cup (6 ozs.) sugar, brown or white 3 teaspoons cocoa
1 tablespoon (1/2 oz.) butter substitute
2 tablespoons strong coffee
Mix sugar, butter, cocoa, and coffee, cream together thoroughly, and spread between cakes.
2 cups (12 ozs.) light brown sugar 1/2 cup (4 ozs.) butter substitute 2 eggs, beaten
1 cup (1/2 pt.) milk
2 cups (8 ozs.) flour
1/2 cup (2 ozs.) barley flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Powdered sugar
Cream sugar and butter substitute together, add eggs, milk, flours sifted with baking powder, and extracts. Mix and divide into well-greased and floured gem or patty pans and bake in moderate oven fifteen minutes. Turn out and roll in powdered sugar.
 
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