I have certainly learned a lot about cake baking for this issue. I tried one recipe that was really awful. It was an old recipe that our grandmothers made, and was it dry! Surely, they did not like cakes this dry back then. (Maybe I did something wrong.) For another recipe I forgot to mix in the sugar at the right time and added it at the very last and it ruined the cake. That lesson learned: follow the directions. (I seem to be getting pretty good at not following instructions. More on that in a future issue.)

This first cake is the old fashioned kind, completely from scratch. I have always wanted to make a homemade white cake, and I am quite pleased with it - although it, too is dry by our standards. I seem to recall seeing an old recipe that added moistness by brushing the top of the cooled cake with a simple syrup and letting it soak into the cake. I will try that the next time I make a cake from scratch.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the dry ingredients into a bowl; using a wire whisk, blend well. (They used to sift and resift this mixture - too much work. The whisk does a great job.) Cream butter thoroughly, adding sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy. Alternate adding flour and milk in small amounts and beat after each addition until smooth. Add lemon extract. Fold in egg whites and bake in two greased and floured round 9 inch layer pans. Place in oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done with a toothpick. Remove from oven and let the cake rest for about 5 minutes. Then place a wire cooling rack on top and flip the whole thing over. Remove the pan from the cake. Place another cooling rack on what was the bottom but is now the top and flip again. This way the cake cools with the top up. Cool completely and frost as desired.

This second cake is supposed to be made right in the baking pan, and I did that. It was difficult to mix things well enough without ending up with as much on the counter as in the pan. So I am planning to use a medium sized mixing bowl next time to prevent the mess. I would recommend it.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place all dry ingredients into 9 inch round or square cake pan. Stir well to blend. Make three indentations in the mix. Place the vanilla into one, the oil into the next and the vinegar into the third. Pour the cold water over the whole thing and stir well. Make sure you get all the dry ingredients well blended. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve while still warm with a scoop of ice cream.