This sounds like a nice light flavored cake. Sponge cakes require care when folding ingredients, so that the whipped egg whites do not deflate. If they deflate, the cake will be flat, thin and firm. The reason is they have no raising agent, like baking powder or baking soda. Once the cake is baked, care must be taken not to allow it to fall. To accomplish this, sponge cakes make be turned upside down to cool. This sounds crazy, like the cake is going to fall out of the pan, but somehow it works. The tube pan referred to here is the type used to make angel food cake. My good friend Diane B suggested keeping a bottle of wine handy for when the cake comes out – she may use it to hang the cake, but if it’s as fiddly as all these precautions suggest, you may want to pour a glass first.

The person who typed up this recipe indicated it was from Prudence Penny, and that it was good. I am assuming the frosting recipe on back is intended for this particular cake.

Break O’ Dawn Sponge Cake (Prudence Penny)

6 eggs

1 c sugar

1/2 teas salt

1 c A-1 pastry flour (any brand is fine)

2 tbs lemon juice

Separate the eggs. Whip whites until stiff & beat in half the sugar.

Beat yolks until thick & lemon colored. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until mixture is light & thick. Add lemon juice, beat a minute longer & turn into whipped whites, folding it in. Then fold in flour, which has been sifted with the salt four times. Pour into an uncreased tube pan & bake in a moderately slow oven, 325 degrees, for one hour. When done, remove from oven and invert to cool.

Cocoanut Frosting

2 egg whites, unbeaten

1 1/2 c granulated sugar

5 tbs cold water

1 1/2 teas light torn syrup (or 1/4 teas cream of tartar)

1 teas vanilla

1 c cocoanut

Put egg whites, sugar, water & corn syrup or cream of tarter in upper part of double boiler. Beat with rotary egg beater until well mixed. Place over boiling water, beat constantly with rotary beater & cook seven minutes or until frosting will stand in peaks. Remove from fire, add vanilla & beat until thick enough to spread. Spread cake with frosting, then sprinkle cocoanut over it before frosting becomes firm.