Salt; a pinch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 1. Blend the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a mixer bowl with a wire whip attachment until the mixture doubles in volume-about 15 minutes on high speed. Just before stopping the mixer, add the vanilla and mix in. 2. Sift together the cake flour, cornstarch and salt. fold dry mixture into egg mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, just until blended. 3. Coat two 10-inch round cake pans with shortening. Pour the batter into the pans and put them immediately into a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake until tops are springy to the touch, about 45-50 minutes. 4. Remove the cakes from the pans and cool on a wire rack. When cool, use a long serrated knife to slice off the tops of the cakes. For tirami su or other layer cakes, divide each cake into three uniform layers with a serrated knive. Makes two cakes. Suggested wine: Passito del Santo Chef Andrea says in his book, "We bake all our own cakes an Andrea's, and this is the one we probably bake most often. It is the basis for our own tirami su, our strawberry cake, and a few others." From La Cucina di Andrea's cookbook by Andrea Apuzzo. 89-63780 Published by dell'Art, Inc. Andrea's Restaurant 3100 Nineteenth Street Metairie, Louisiana, 70002