Place in a bowl Three-quarters cup of sugar, One egg, Four level tablespoonfuls of shortening, Two cups of sifted flour, Four level teaspoons of baking powder, One level teaspoonful of flavoring, Three-quarters cup of water. Beat hard to mix for five minutes. Pour into prepared loaf-shaped pans and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. To prepare the pan, grease thoroughly and then dust well with flour, then pour in the batter. To make a raisin cake spread three-quarters cup of raisins on top of the cake when it is in the pan ready to put in the oven. The rising dough will distribute the raisins through the cake. One-half cup of currants, One cup finely chopped nuts, or One-half cup of finely chopped citron One-half cup of finely chopped citron may replace the raisins. Or this cake may be baked in a tube pan and then cooled and split and filled with custard or sour cream cake filling and then iced with chocolate icing.