Sponge.—Take 13lb. of eggs (eggs weigh about
eight to ten to the pound), 1lb. caster sugar, and a few
drops of essence of lemon; whisk together in a large bowl
the eggs and the sugar for half an hour (if you use an
egg-beating machine fifteen minutes will be plenty), whisk-
ing regularly and steadily one way, from right to left and
back in a kind of circular sweep. This beating must be
kept up till the mixture is ready, or the air cells formed by
the whisking will collapse, and the cake in consequence
become heavy and tough. At the end of half an hour stir
in the flavouring lightly, and last of all 12oz. to 14oz.
of flour, sifted, dried, and warmed. Mix in the flour as
lightly and quickly as possible, or this will spoil the
cake, and the more it is whisked the heavier it will
become. As soon as this is all mixed it must be at
once put into the prepared moulds and baked in a
very moderate oven, which should have been really hot
and then allowed to cool before putting in the cake.
As soon as the cake has risen, and the top is of a very
pale and delicate brown, lay a buttered paper over it
to prevent its colouring. When the cake is ready lift
the tin from the oven and leave it in a warm corner near
the fire for two or three minutes before turning it out, as in