How to Ice Cakes

Take one pound of pulverized sugar and the whites of two eggs. Have the eggs set in the refrigerator for about an hour before using. Beat the eggs and the sugar and a Teaspoonful of Rose or Orange Flower Water or Vanilla Essence together till the eggs are very light. In commencing to beat do not beat the whites separately. Break them into a cold, shallow dish, and throw in a handful of sugar at a time, beating meanwhile, and adding at short intervals, till you have used up all the sugar. Or beat the whites and the sugar and essence all together. When the mixture is stiff and smooth, begin to lay a thin coating of the Ice over the Cake, using a knife to spread it, and occasionally dipping the knife into the lemon juice, which will enable you to smooth it nicely. When it is covered with this first coat, set it in a warm place to harden — or a moderate oven, where you may let it remain about four minutes, or in the sunshine, where there is no dust around. When it is hardened it will be ready for the next coat. Proceed as above. This coat will be much smoother and whiter than the first. Let the thickness of the Icing always be such that it will run very slow. If the Icing is well prepared this will give a smooth, glossy surface. Instead of the Essence, the juice of a lemon (one tablespoonful) may be added to the Icing. If you wish to use ornaments, secure a piping tube, and place the ornaments around the Cake while moist, running a plain tube around the edge of the Cake with a thin Icing, level with the rim. Let it run smooth and dry in the sun or in the oven, The sun is always best, if you are not in a very great hurry.