Layer Cake

My husband and I recently purchased a 170-year-old house. While I was cleaning away decades of dust, I found this old recipe beneath the floorboards. It was written with a quill pen and dated Sept. 3, 1898. It was simply titled “layer cake,” with no baking instructions. I gave it a try, and it’s the best cake I have ever made.

Recipe

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened or melted
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Then beat egg whites, butter, and sugar in another bowl (see “Tips,’’ below). Add flour mixture and milk alternately to egg mixture, mixing well. Bake for about 30 minutes in two greased 8 1/2-inch round pans. Top with your favorite frosting.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: For a lighter version of this cake, cream butter and sugar, add flour mixture and milk alternately, then whip egg whites, and fold them into mixture.

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