cream shortening & sugar. Add unbeaten egg. Add vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Sift flour, easher & sift with salt & baking powder. Add alternately with milk to creamed shortening & sugar. Pour into 2 well-oiled layer cake pans. Bake in a preheated 375° oven about 20 minutes. Put layers together with cream filling. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream.~~Household Searchlight

CREAM FILLING
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups milk, scalded
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TBL butter
combine butter, sugar, salt, flour & eggs. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Cook over hot water until thick & smooth. Add vanilla.~~Household Searchlight

WASHINGTON CAKE
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp BP
1 tsp nutmeg (use fresh grated)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 3/4 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 pkg (11 oz.) currants
(Currants should be softened by placing them in boiling water; reduce heat immediately and simmer for a few minutes. You don't want to "cook" them. Drain, and dry currants thoroughly in in clean towels. Dairy products should be room temperature).

Preheat oven to 350. Grease well and flour 10 x 4 tube pan. Sift flour with BP, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.

In large bowl at high speed, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy -- takes about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla, beat until smooth and fluffy. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths) alternately with milk (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour. Beat only until combined; stir in currants.
Turn batter into prepared pan. Bake 350, 1 hour 20 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Turn out of pan onto wire rack; cool completely.

The cake stores well and improves on standing -- make a day or two ahead if you can.

Slice thinly -- serves about 30