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SPONGECAKES (various recipes)

No. 1.--Break seven eggs, and put the whites and the yolks into separate bowls. Take out the specks, and beat the yolks of the eggs, add half a pound of powdered and sifted sugar, the grated rind and strained juice of half a lemon, six ounces of dried flour, and lastly the whites of the eggs whisked to a firm froth. Grease a hot tin with butter free from moisture. While still warm, sift sugar upon it, pour in the batter, and bake the cake in a moderate oven. Time to bake, three-quarters of an hour to one hour. Probable cost, 1s. 2d. for a cake this size. No. 2.--Bruise half a pound of vanilla, tie it in muslin, and simmer it gently with a pound of loaf sugar till the syrup is clear and pleasantly flavoured. Strain it through a jelly-bag, and stir it till cool. Beat the whites of three eggs to a firm froth, stir them into the syrup, add the well-beaten yolks of six eggs, and lastly six ounces of dried flour. When the batter is thoroughly mixed, pour it into a well-oiled mould, and bake the cake immediately in a well-heated oven. If liked, the syrup can be flavoured with lemon-rind instead of vanilla. Time to bake, about an hour. No. 3.--Take three eggs and their weight in flour, and four eggs and their weight in sugar. Put the yolks of the seven eggs and the sugar into a saucepan, and beat them over a gentle fire till they are new-milk-warm. Pour them into a basin, and put with them a table-spoonful of brandy and any flavouring that may be preferred. Stir them well together, and dredge the flour in very gradually, beating the mixture all the time. Whisk the whites of the eggs to a solid froth, stir them into the batter, and beat it again for a quarter of an hour. Butter a mould, sprinkle powdered sugar upon it, pour in the cake, and put it immediately into a well-heated oven. Time to bake, about one hour and a half. Probable cost, 1s. 6d.