Pillsbury's Best

In the ballroom of Manhattan's Waldorf-Astoria, Pillsbury Mills last week gathered 100 cooking champions to compete for more than $125,000 in prizes in its Grand National Bake-Off. Each was allowed a day to whip up a favorite recipe. The winner of the $25,000 first prize: Mrs. Bernard Kanago, wife of a Webster (S. Dak.) paperhanger. Her prizewinning concoction: My Inspiration Cake.* Mrs. Kanago, whose hobby is cooking, said that "the recipe just came out of nowhere."

* Recipe: 1 cup finely chopped nuts; 2 ounces sweet or semisweet chocolate; 2 1/2 cups sifted flour; 4 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder; 1teaspoon each of salt and vanilla; 1 1/2 cups sugar; ZA 2/3 cup shortening; 1 1/4cups milk; 2/3 cup unbeaten egg whites. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add shortening, milk and vanilla; beat 1 1/2 minutes, 150 strokes per minute, until well-blended. Add egg whites; beat 1 1/2 minutes. Spoon 1 1/4 of batter over nuts spaced evenly over two well-greased, lightly floured 9-in. round layer pans. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Carefully spread remaining batter on top. Bake in moderate oven (350DEG F.) 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes; turn out cake and cool thoroughly. Chocolate frosting: combine 2 squares baking chocolate, 1/2cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of water in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, add 4 egg yolks and beat thoroughly. Cool. Cream 1/4 cup butter or margarine with 1teaspoon vanilla. Blend in gradually 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, creaming well. Remove 1/3 cup of mixture to decorate cake, nut side up. To the rest add cool chocolate mixture; beat until smooth. Decorate with spare white frosting.

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