9 egg whites (1 1/4 c.)
3 c. sifted all purpose flour or 3 c. and 6 tbsp. cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar
9 egg yolks
2 c. soft butter
2 tsp. vanilla or 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. almond

In large bowl of electric mixer, let egg whites warm to room temperature, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. With electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Continue beating until soft peaks form when beater is slowly raised. Turn into a medium bowl.

In same bowl, at high speed, beat yolks with remaining sugar, butter, vanilla 5 minutes. At low speed, beat in flour mixture just until smooth. At low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture just until smooth. At low speed, gradually beat in egg-white mixture just until blended, scraping bowl and guiding batter into beaters with a rubber scraper.

Turn into prepared pan; bake 65 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Slice thinly. Makes 30 slices.