Silver White Cake

2 1/4 c. Softasilk Cake Flour ro 2 cups regular all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 egg whites (1/2 c.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 151/2 X 101/2 X 1 inch jelly roll pan. Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, 2/3 c. milk and the vanilla into a large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Add remaining milk and the egg whites; beat2 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool. Cut cake into small squares, rounds, diamonds, hearts or other fancy shapes.

Glaze cake pieces by placing upside down, a few at a time, on wire rack over large bowl or baking dish. Pour Petits Four Icing (recipes follow) over top so entire cake is covered at one time. (Glaze that drips off cakes into bowl can be reheated and used again.) Decorate tops with silver dragees, candy flowers, etc.

About 35, 2 inch squares. Note: Petits Fours can also be glazed by placing each cake on a fork over icing (in double boiler) and spooning glaze over each. With spatula or other fork, push cake off on to wire rack to set glaze.

Petits Four Icing

9 c. sifted confectioners' sugar (about 2 lbs.)
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Combine ingredients in top of double boiler and heat over boiling water just to lukewarm. (Do not overheat icing or it will become dull.) Remove from heat, leaving icing over hot water to keep it thin. If desired, tint parts of icing delicate pastel colors with food color. If necessary, add hot water, just a few drops at a time, until of spreading consistency.

Variation

Apricot-glazed Petits Fours: Before pouriing icing over Petits Fours, glaze each cake piece with Apricot Glaze: Heat 1 jar (12 oz.) apricot preserves with 3 Tbl. water: strain.

Place Petit Four on fork; hold over saucepan and pour warm glaze over each. Place on wire rack; let stand about one hour or until set. Glaze with Petits Fours Icing as directed above.