Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds butter
5 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
3/8 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground mace
4 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 1/2 C. white sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
15 eggs
3/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
Decorator Frosting:
8 C. powdered sugar; sifted
2 C. shortening
3/4 C. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
Paste food coloring

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 300. Grease and flour three round tube pans, one 10-inch, one 8-inch, and one 5-inch. Sift flour, baking soda, ground mace, 2 1/4 C. of the sugar into a large bowl. Using hands, rub in butter into flour mixture. Separate eggs. Add the lemon juice and vanilla to yolks and beat well. Add yolk mixture a little at a time to flour mixture using hands to combine ingredients. In a large bowl whip whites with the salt and cream of tartar until stiff. Gradually beat in remaining 2 1/4 C. sugar until whites are very stiff and glossy. Fold in beaten whites into batter in four portions, folding in very gently with hands until no white lumps are visible. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake at 300 for 2 1/2 hours for the 10-inch pan, 2 1/4 hours for 8-inch pan, 1 1/2 hours for 5-inch pan. Cakes are done when they shrink from sides of pans. Remove 5-inch cake from oven and let stand in pan 1 hour before turning out. When 8-inch cake is done turn off oven and let stand 1/2 hour more in oven, remove it then 15 minutes later remove 10 inch cake. Let 8 and 10-inch cakes stand on cooling rack 1/2 hour before turning out. Allow to cool overnight before frosting. If cake tiers are to be separated by pillars the holes left by tube pans may be covered by rounds of cardboard before they are iced. Use Decorator Frosting and decorate as desired. Decorator Frosting: Combine all ingredients except food coloring in a mixing bowl; beat at low speed of an electric mixer until blended. Then beat at high speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Color as desired with food coloring.

My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalms 42:3)