Just a Good Old-Fashioned Cake

I thought I would make a little sweet surprise for Darling when he returns from Boston this week. This is a delicious little cake and so easy to mix together for an impromptu dinner gathering. It is a recipe made often by Grandmother who I have lovingly talked about in previous postings! You can frost this cake, as she mostly did, with a seven- minute fluffy white frosting, in which she would combine maraschino cherries and little marshmallows or just serve it plain with a dessert sauce or ice cream. We would have this served in the formal dining room on pretty little dessert plates with a glass of iced tea. Somehow, it always tasted better in her dining room, which had the aroma of freshly baked warm cake!  I am taking a little sneaky taste with cherry vanilla ice cream topped with warm nutella! Oh Heavens to Betsy! 

OLD- FASHIONED WHITE CAKE

2 1/4 c. sifted cake flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. shortening

3/4 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

3 eggs, unbeaten

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into mixing bowl. Drop in shortening. Add 1/2 cup milk, flavoring and 1 egg and beat 2 minutes with mixer at low speed. Scrape bowl and beater. Add remaining milk and 2 eggs and beat well with electric mixer. 
Bake in 2 deep 9" greased layer pans in moderately hot oven, 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.


Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Swirl the frosting into graceful peaks on top of cake and place halves of maraschino cherries around rim of cake about 2" apart.

SEVEN MINUTE CHERRY MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

 2 egg whites, unbeaten

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon salt

 Place ingredients in top of double boiler and mix thoroughly. Place over rapidly boiling water and beat constantly with beater until mixture will hold a peak (about 7 minutes). Remove from hot water, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and beat until cool. Just before spreading, carefully fold in 18 maraschino cherries, cut in pieces and 12 marshmallows, cut in pieces into frosting.