Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare two or three 9 inch cake pans, greasing and flouring. If using two layers, increase cooking time, and expect them to rise right to the very top of the pan.  Three pans works well with the batter evenly divided.

Sift: 2 2/3 cups cake flour.

Resift with and set aside:

2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream together until very light in texture:

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter

Add one at a time, 4 egg yolks.

Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. almond extract.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with  1/2 cup Marsala wine and 1/2 cup milk.

Whip until stiff, but not dry, the four egg whites, and gently fold into the batter.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes if using three pans.

Note: this cake is the original 1-2-3-4 cake, to which Marsala wine was substituted for some of the milk. It makes a great cake to be used with trifles.