White Cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk
• 1/2 cup shortening, margarine, or butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 egg whites

Instructions

1. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add buttermilk, shortening, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on medium to high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping bowl.
2. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 1/2-inch round baking pans. Bake in a 350° oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides. Remove from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.
3. Lady Baltimore Cake: Prepare as above. Prepare Seven-Minute Frosting (see recipe, page 87). For filling, combine one-fourth of the frosting, 1/2 cup chopped candied cherries, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, and 1/2 cup snipped pitted whole dates, chopped figs, or raisins. Spread fill- ing between layers. Frost with remaining frosting.
4. Petits Fours: Prepare as above, except pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350° oven for 40 to 45 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool thoroughly. Prepare Petits Fours Icing (see recipe, page 88). Trim sides of cake to make smooth, straight edges. Cut cake into 1 1/2-inch squares, diamonds, or circles. With fingertips, brush off crumbs. Place cake pieces on wire racks over waxed paper. Insert a 2- or 3-prong long-handled fork into the side of one cake piece. Holding cake over icing, spoon on enough icing to cover sides and top. Place on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining cake pieces. (Sides of pieces should not touch.) Let dry 15 minutes. Repeat for a second coat of icing, except place cake pieces atop prongs of the fork (do not spear). Repeat for a third layer of icing, if desired. Reuse the icing from the waxed paper, straining crumbs, if necessary.