1/4 cup butter
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sifted cake flour

Two 9-inch Round Pans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt and put aside:

1/4 cup butter

Do not let it get cooler than about 80 degrees.

Break into the top of a double boiler over-not in -- boiling water until they are lukewarm:

6 eggs

Add:

2/3 cup sugar

Beat with a rotary or electric mixer at medium speed 7 minutes. Add:

2/3 cup sugar

Beat with a rotary or electric mixer at medium speed 7 minutes. Add:

1/3 cup sugar

Increase speed and beat 2 minutes longer or until the mixture is lemony in color and has reached the shape known as au ruban -- like a continuous flat ribbon when dropped from a spoon. Add:

1 teaspoon vanilla

Fold in:

1 cup sifted cake flour

Add the melted butter with a folding motion.

Pour the batter into greased and floured pans and bake about 30 to 40 minutes or until done.

Turn out at once onto a rack to cool.

The recipe from this entry was taken from "The Joy of Cooking, a compilation of reliable recies with an occasional culinary chat," by Irma S. Rombauer, with illustrations by Marion Rombauer Becker (New York: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1943). For the complete copyright-free cookbook visit www.archive.org. N.B. The author notes in the introduction to this recipe that "This rich, most Italian cake, which the French and we have borrowed, has no equal for versatility. It also keeps well and freezes well. If not over baked it may be used for dessert rolls with cream or jelly fillings. You may bake it as Ladyfingers, or in layers. For a very elaborate Genoise, sprinkle it after cooking with Cointreau or kirsch, fill it with Sauce Cockaigne, or cover it with whipped cream or with European Icing. For a children's party, bake favors in the cake....." Photo: Mary Melfi.

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