Here are directions for making the Ike cake according to President Eisenhower's favorite recipe, to be served to your family or friends on Ike day, October 13, the eve of the President's birthday: Cream 1/2 cup butter and 2 cups sugar. Dissolve 2/3 cup cocoa in 1/2 cup boiling water and mix until smooth. Cool. Add 3 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla to creamed mixture; beat thoroughly. Add cooled cocoa solution. Sift together 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Have ready 1 cup sour milk at room temperature. (You can mix 1 tablespoon vinegar with 1 cup sweet milk to sour it.) Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk in thirds, beating until smooth after each addition. Fold in 3 egg whites, which have been beaten stiff. Turn batter into 2 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cake from oven and turn out onto rack. When layers are cool, put them together with seven minute frosting; ice cake with the same mixture.

To make the Seven-Minute Frosting: Beat together 2 egg whites, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 5 tablespoons cold water, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in top of double boiler. Place mixture over boiling water and continue beating with rotary beater or electric mixer for about 7 minutes, or until the frosting thickens and holds its shape when it is dropped from the beater. Remove immediately from boiling water. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and continue beating until frosting is stiff enough to spread.