Mom's spice cake

2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 1/2 Tbsp boiling water
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs beaten
2/3 cup buttermilk
Sift flour, measure and resift 3 times with baking soda and salt. Combine spices and mix thoroughly with boiling water. Cream shortening until fluffy, then blend in sugar. Add beaten eggs and beat until smooth and fluffy. Stir in spice mixture. Then add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 or 4 portions, beginning and ending with flour and beating until smooth after each portion. Turn into 9 inch layer pans, bottoms lined with wax paper and sides buttered. Bake in moderate oven (375F) 25 minutes or until top springs back when *lightly* touched with finger tip. Cool in pan on cake rack 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool right side up.