Chocolate nougat cake with white mountain cream (Fannie Farmer, 1896)

Brush the cake pan with melted butter and dust lightly with flour.

Whisk bread flour with baking powder. Heat the oven to 350 (the book gives no temperature).

Cream the butter; add the sugar gradually, then the unbeaten egg.

Add flour a little at a time alternating with two thirds of the milk, mixing slowly.

Finish by hand with half a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Heat the remaining milk, add the unsweetened chocolate to melt, then the powdered sugar, over medium-low heat; pass through a strainer to remove seized bits and sugar lumps.

Once the chocolate has cooled slightly, mix it into the cake batter.

Fill the pan two-thirds full, level it with a slight depression in the centre.

Bake until the cake shrinks from the pan; the book says 15 to 20 minutes, it took 28 in one pan.

Turn out onto a cooling rack soon after baking and cool.

Boil a cup of sugar and half a cup of water without stirring until the syrup threads from a fork.

Pour the syrup into the beaten egg white while beating; underbeaten it runs, overbeaten it will not be smooth.

Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.

Pour the white mountain cream over the cake, rounded side up, and sprinkle with slivered almonds while sticky.