Mrs. Morrison's Mace Cake

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter -- (1/4 lb) softened

4 eggs -- beaten

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground mace -- plus

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.In a saucepan combine milk and butter. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.

3.Cream together the eggs and 2 cups sugar in a mixing bowl.

4.Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon mace.

5.Mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Add the milk and butter while still hot and mix well. Mrs. Morrison always insisted on 300 strokes to blend the mixture well.

6.Pour into a greased and floured 9-by-13-inch pan. For the topping, mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon mace together and then sprinkle the mixture over the batter.

7.Bake 25 to 35 minutes. (Alternatively, bake the cake in a 10-inch tube pan at 325 degrees F for 1 hour.)

Notes: It explains in the book the Mrs. Morrison was the houskeeper at an Episcopal church for at least two to three generations, and this cake was revered by each succeeding congregation. The wife of the priest says that this cake is great for funerals. [Per the original web-poster:] I prefer the 10-inch tube pan. Careful, it's addicting. Don't eat the whole cake yourself. Also, if it works for you as it did for me, don't expect to get any serious stuff done for at least 24 hours.