We will first give a few directions with regard to making what may be termed plain cakes, _i.e._, cakes that contain no fruit at all.

Perhaps the best model we can give to illustrate the general principles will be that of a pound cake.

The recipe is a very easy one to recollect, as a pound cake means one that is made from a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour.

There is one addition, however, which the good plain cook will probably not be up to, and which, so far as flavour is concerned, makes all the difference between Francatelli and "Jemima Ann"-- we must rub some of the lumps of sugar on the outsides of either two oranges or two lemons.

It is also a great improvement to add a small glass of brandy, and in every kind of cake we must add a pinch of salt.
In making cakes it is always necessary to be careful about the butter.