I've Been Waiting To Bake This Since 1972

Danny thought this would make a swell 4th of July cake, and I think he's correct. The er...recipe, called for a boxed cake, and some frosting mix that probably no longer exists, so I made my own. Fluffy white frosting isn't my favourite, but you can't really get that shiny, white effect with buttercream. I filled the layers with sour cherry preserves, but you probably already figured I would. Both the cake and frosting recipes come from the 1959 edition of Better Homes and Gardens Pies and Cakes.

For the cake:

2/3 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk

Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter. Slowly add sugar and beat until light. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Sift together dry ingredients. Add, alternating with milk.

Pour into prepared pans and bake 30-35 minutes or until they test done. Cool 10 minutes in pans on rack, then remove from pans and cool completely before filling and frosting.


For the frosting:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Dash salt
2 unbeaten egg whites
Teaspoon vanilla (I omitted this to keep the frosting very white. Obviously, if you can get clear vanilla, this is a good place to use it)

Combine sugar, water, cream of tartar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Very slowly, add to the egg whites in a mixing bowl, beating constantly. Keep beating several minutes until it reaches a spreading consistency.

Decorate with peppermint sticks and cherries.