Ribbon Cake

Ingredients

• 8 egg whites
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup sweet milk
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 cups sugar (for dark part)
• 3 cups flour (for dark part)
• 1 cup sweet milk (for dark part)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda (for dark part)
• 4 teaspoons cream of tartar (for dark part)
• ½ teaspoon cloves (for dark part)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (for dark part)
• ½ teaspoon allspice (for dark part)
• 1 grated nutmeg (for dark part)
• ½ pound seeded raisins (for dark part)
• ½ pound citron, finely chopped (for dark part)
• 2 pounds sugar (for icing)
• 6 egg whites (for icing)
• Price's fruit coloring (for icing)
• 2 grated coconuts (for icing)

Directions

The book gives no oven temperature. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps was added when the recipe was transcribed, as a starting point. The book gives no cooking times either; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

3. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, and sweet milk to the butter mixture, mixing well.

5. Fold in the beaten egg whites gently.

6. For the dark part, mix the egg yolks, sugar, flour, sweet milk, baking soda, cream of tartar, spices, raisins, and citron until combined.

7. Grease jelly tins and pour the white batter into some and the dark batter into others.

8. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.

9. Layer the cakes with white and dark alternately, using icing made from sugar, egg whites, and fruit coloring.

10. Top with grated coconut.