Buttercup Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Break the eggs and separate eggs. Beat egg whites with a rotary beater until they will stand up in a peak when beater is pulled out of them. Watch carefully after they begin to look white, as they should still look fine grained and glossy. If they look dry or curdled, it means they were over-beaten and will not hold air as well.

If well beaten yolks are to be used in cake, beat (with the same beater) until light colored and fluffy, and blend into creamed shortening and sugar.

Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt (sifted together) alternately with the liquid. Measure flavoring and add with the last addition of liquid.

Drop mass of stiffly beaten egg whites onto batter. Then cut down through the batter with edge of spoon. Turn it and bring it up along side of bowl, then fold some batter over the mass of egg white. Continue cutting and folding in until egg white is distributed throughout the batter.

Pour into greased and floured baking pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tests done.

Recipe Source: "The Betty Crocker Cook Book of All-Purpose Baking," (1942)