THE OVEX

Too much care cannot be given to the preparation of the oven, which is oftener too hot than too cool ; however, an oven too cold at first will ruin any cake. But fruit cake requires a very moderate oven — not hot enough to thoroughly brown apiece of com- mon white not^-paper in less than an hour — and a loaf of ordinary size requires from three to four hours to bake. Cake should rise and begin to bake before browning much, large cakes requiring a good, steady, solid heat, about such as for baking bread ; layer cakes, a brisk, hot fire, as they must be baked quickly. A good plan is to fill the stove with hard wood (ash is the best for baking), let it burn un- til there is a good body of heat, and then turn damper so as tc> throw the heat to the bottom of the oven for fully ten minutes be- fore the cake is put in. In this way a steady heat to start with is se- cured. Grenerally it is better to close the hearth when the cake is put in, as this stops the draft and makes a more regular heat. Keep adding wood in small quantities, for if the heat becomes slack the cake will be heavy. Great care must be taken, for some stoves need to have the dampers changed every now and then, but as a ride more heat is needed at the bottom of the oven than at the top. Mam- test their ovens in this way : if the hand can be held in from twenty to thirty-five seconds (or while counting twenty or thirty-five), it is a "quick" oven, from thirty-five to forty-five seconds is "moderate," and from forty-five to sixty seconds is "slow." Sixty seconds is a good oven to begin with for large fruit cakes. All systematic house- keepers will hail the day when some enterprising person shall in- vent a stove or rang

68 ( AKK-MAKINC.

oven is right for the cake. If necessary to move tlie cake while leaking, do it very gently. Do not open the oven door until the cake has had time to form, and do not open it oftener than necessary, then be careful to close it quickly and gently, bo as not to jar the cake. Be sure the outside door of the kitchen is closed so that no cold air may strike it. If tlu' oven bakes too hard on the bottom, place the grate under the pan ; it too hot on top, set a pie-i)an of Avater on the toi") grate. If one side bakes faster than the other, turn vern gently. Be careful 'pSVuI,.' not to remove from the oven until done ; test thor- otu/ldi/ before removing, for if the cooler air strikes it before it is done it is certain to fall. Allow about thirty minutes for each inch of thickness in a (|uick oven, and more time in a slon' one. Test with a broom-splint or knitting-needle, and if the dough does not adhere, it is done. Settling away from the pan a little, and stopping its "singing." are other indications that the cake is ready to leave the oven. When removed, set the cake, while in the pan, on an inverted sieve to cool : this secures a free circulation of air all around it, and cools it evenly. It should rt- main in the pan at least fifteen minutes after taking from the oven, ii^kI it is better to leave the *'cap" on until the cake is carefully re- moved from tlio pan and set away, always right .«ide uj). A tin chest or stone jar is best to keep it in. Cofliee cake should be put away before it is cold, and so closely wrajiped in a large napkin that the aroma will not be lost.

The patent pan with perforated cover, illustrated, is highly recommended lor leaking cakes. Cakes in fancy forms are baked in molds, the Turkish-head mold being most commonly used. When l)aking in a brick oven the mold is used with a cover, but in a stove oven the cover is remove<l and a stem placed inside, but can be used without stem. If mold when inverted has not suffi- cient base (most molds are more or less conical) to staiid in oven, make a ])asteboard box which Avill support it, as heat suflicient to bake any delicate oi- fruit cake will not burn the ])asteboard. Many persons frost the bottom nf cnke ijistead of the top. ns it presents a smooth surface.

sroNt.j: .\Ni> whitj: cakks. The good ([uality of all delicate cake, especially of sj)onge-cake,

(AKK MAKING.

depends very much upon its being made with fresh eggs. It can

never be perfect unless pulverized sugar is used. It must be quickly

I)ut together. l)eaten with rapidity, and baked in a

rather quick ov<'n. It is made " sticky " and less

light by being stirred bjng. There is no other cake

so dependent upon care and good judgment

in baking as sponge-cake. In making

^^white cake, if not convenient to use the

yolks that are left, they will keep for sevi^r-

al da}"?' i^ t /to /'ouff A/ f/ bcatm and set in a

cool place. The whites of eggs, when not

used, must not l)e beaten, but will keep for

several davs if set in a cool place. Tlie

Avhite or yolk of a medium-sized egg weighs

one ounce, a fact that it is convenient to know. ;is

sometimes the white or yolk of one or more eggs

is wanted from several that have been ])ut away Dover Egg b uicr.

together. ^Vhenever it is necessary to cut a cake while warm,

do it \vh\i a warm knife. To prepare cocoa-nut. cut a ho](>

througli tlie meat at one of tiu^ holes in the end, draw ofl' \]\o milk,

pound tlie nut well on all sides to loosen the meat, crack, take

out meat, and set the pieces in the heater or in a cool, open oven

overnight, or for a few hours, to dry. then grate : if all is not used,

sprinkle with sugar (after grating) and spread out in a cool, dry

place, and it will kec}) f<u- weeks. If dessicated is used moisten

with milk liefore usiniz'.

Ah/ioucL TIirl'ort/-uitt or Cocoa-nut Cakf. — <)ne ])()und flour, half teasj)oon salt, fourth pound butter, pound sugar, tea-cup sour cream, four eggs, lemon flavor to taste, and a te.'isjxxm soda dissolv- ed in two teas})oons hot water; mix all thoroughly, grate in the white part of a cocoa nut, or stir in a pint cho])ped liickory-nuts. or a pint blanched ahuonds ]»ounded.

Almond Cnl'e. — Blanch and ]»ountl to a paste three ounces sweet and one ounce bitter almonds, shelled. To three-fourths ])ound sugar gradually add yolks of twenty-four eggs and stir until light, then add the almond pulp, the juice and grated rind one lem- on, a pinch mace, and beat until it thickens. Beat whites six eggs to a firm froth, adding by pinches a tablespoon powdered sugar and stir it in, one-third at a time, with the above mixtuiv. Lastly add

"0 CAKE MAKING.

four ounces Hour woll sifted witli one ounce corn starch. Mix well, pour into round pans two inches thick, if it is to be iced, or into square pans one inch thick if intended for slicing, bake in mo<lerate oven and turn out at once.

Angel Cake. — Whites twelve eggs, one and one-half tumblers* sifted powdered sugar, one tumbler sifted flour, one teaspoon each vanilla and cream tartar. The tum])lers for mea.<- uring should liold two and one-fourth gills. Beat eggs in a ])owl to as fine a froth as possible and add one-half tumljler sifted sugar, gradually beating in two tablespoons at a time, and stir into this mix- ture the teaspoon vanilla ; sift the cream tartar with the flour, then sift flour and remaining tumbler sugar together four times, and put with the first mixture with as little stirring as will mix and combine them thoroughly and smoothly. The dough should be very light and featiiery. Test the oven by laying in it a piece of white paper, which should brown, not char, in ten minutes. A pan made express- ly for this purpose should be used, and can be ordered of any tinner. It should be about eight inches in diameter, three inches deep, with a funnel in the centi^r two inches in diameter at the bottom tapering to an inch and a half at top, and be ])rovided with legs half an inch liigh. May l)e smooth or fluted edges as preferred. Do not grease the pan, ))ut line it with clean manilla j^aper kept for the purpose. Bake forty minutes and do not open the oven for the first fifteen. It should rise to the top of the pan l)ut may shrink a little. When done turn the pan upside down and let stand one hour, when if it does not drop out readily the edges may be carefully loosened with a knife. Ice the bottom with transparent glaze made as follows : Take one and one-half cups sifted powdered sugar, white.s two eggs that have not been beaten, and as much cold water as eggs ; stir very hard with a whisk or egg beater unt

Apple Cake. — Soak two cups dried apples over night, in the moi'ning drain and chop fine in chopi^ing bowl ; add one cup mo- lasses and let it boil slowly on back of stove three or four hours ; let it cool and add one and a half cui)s l)rown sugar,onecup butter, half cup sour milk, one teaspoon each cloves, allspice and cinnamon, one teaspoon soda, three eggs, three and one-half cups flour; bake in two square tins, or one five-quart basin ; if baked in latter, bake slowly two hours. Very nice and M-ill keep six months.

CAKE MAKING. 71

Black Cake. — One pound powdered white sugar, thrce-ciuarters ]X)und butter, pound sifted flour (brown or not as preferred), twelve eggs beaten separately, two pounds raisins stoned and part of them ehopped, two of currants carefully cleaned, half pound citron cut in strips, quarter ounce each cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves mixed, wine- glass wine and one of brandy ; rub butter and sugar together, add yolks of eggs, ]xnrt of flour, the sjdce, and Avhites of eggs well beaten ; then add remainder of flour, and wine and brandy ; mix all thor- oughly together ; cover bottom and sides of a four-quart milk-pan with buttered wliite paper, put in a layer of the mixture, then a layer of the fruit (first dredging the fruit with flour) until pan is filled up three or four inches. A small cup of Orleans molasses makes the i-ake blacker and more moist, l)ut for this it is not necessary to add mhre flour. Bake three and one-half or four hours in a slow oven. This is excellent.

Black Cake. — Two cups brown sugar, one and one-half cups butter, six eggs beaten separately, three cups flour (brown the flour), two tablespoons molasses, one of cinnamon, one teaspoon each mace and cloves, two. cups sweet milk, two pounds each raisins and cur- rants, a half pounil citron, one teaspoon soda, two of cream tartar. Bake three hours.

Bread Cake. — Three coff"ee-cups yeast dough, light enough to bake for Ijread, two and two-thirds cups sugar, one cup butter, three eggs, one nutmeg ; put all together, and work with the hands until smooth as pound-cake. It is very important that all should be mixed very thoroughly with the light dough. Add raisins and as much fruit as desired, and let rise Imlf an hour in the pans in which you bake. The oven should be a])Out right for bread. This is easily made, and is quite as nice as common loaf-cake. Leave out fruit and add from a half to a whole tablespoon caraway, coriander, card- amon, or fennel seeds, or a mixture of all, and this recipe makes a nice Seed Cake.

Bread Cake. — Two cups light bread dough, one and one-half cups sugar, half cup butter, three tablespoons sour Tuilk in which has been dissolved half teaspoon soda, half a grated nutmeg, teaspoon • innamon. cup raisins chopped a little and floured ; stir all well to- ii;ether, adding fruit last ; let rise half an hour and bake in a mod- erate oven.

Bride's Cake. — Whiles twelve eggs, three cups sugar, small cup butter, cup sweet milk, four small cups flour, half cup corn starch, wo teaspoons baking powder, lemon to taste. A perfect cake. Ad- ding a cup citron sliced thin and dusted with flour makes a beauti- ful Citron Cake.

Bride Cake. — One pound each butter and sugar, one gill double cream, one-half pint ))randy. one pound two ounces flour, two pounds

t AKK MAKIN<;

/.ante currants, washed and jjicked, two jiounds raisins, seeded and cliopped, two pomids sultanas, washed, i)ickcd and dried, one and one-half pounds citron, cut into long, thin strips, two tablespoons cinnamon, two grated nutmegs, one teaspoon mace, one tablespoon each powdered cloves, jjowdered allspice and orange flower water. Rub butter and sugar together until smooth ; whip whites sixteen eggs to slifl' froth and stir them into the cream, one-third at a time, working mitil smooth; mix Hour with fruits and spices until all are evenly diduscd and stir all together, adding the orange flower last. Beat the whole very lively, pour into long, square ])ans lined with l)uttered pajjcr, smooth over with wet knife Itlade, and l)ak(.'in moderate oven three hours. If too hot at l)Ottom ])ut several ___^_^____^ folds of ])aper imder pans, or cover with paper " Bride cane p»a.

if too hot at to]). Do not tiu-n out until cold. Eul) with flour, wipe with cloth, iee with white of egg icing an<l finish with chocolate icing. A\'ill keep for a year or more. If to be eaten within a week or two no brandy is needed. "NMien properly and carefully made, one (jf the richest and best.

Bnchcye Cake. — One cup Imtter, two of white sugar, four of sifted Hour, five eggs beaten separately, one cup sour milk, teaspoon soda, i)ound seeded raisins choi)])ed a little; beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the yolks and milk, and stir in the ilour with soda well mixed through it ; then add the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and lastly the raisins (hedged with a little fiour; (one- fourth ]H)und sliced citron is a nice addition) ; bake one and one- lialf hours. Use coffee-cups to measure. This makes a cake for a six-quart ])an, oi' two large loaves, and is a very economical yet de- licious fruit cake. Iji making half the reci])e use three yolks and two whites for the cake, reserving the extra Avhite for frosting.

Caramel Cake. — One cup butter, two of sugar, a scant cup milk, one and a half cups fiour, cup cornstarch, Avhites seven eggs, three teaspoons baking powder in the flour; bake in a long pan. Take half ])ound Inown sugar, scant <}uarter pound chocolate, half cup milk, butter size of an egg, two teaspoons vanilla; mix thoroughlr and cook as syrup mitil stifi' enough to spread ; spread on cake and set in the oven to dry.

Carolina Cale (Without eggs). — lUUi two large tablespoons butter into one coffee-cup powdered sugar, add one-half cup sweet cream, one-half teasi>oon soda, one and one-half cups ilour : b:ike quickly in small tins or gem-pans, and send to table warm.

Charlotte (hchce Cake. — C'ut a thick loaf of s})onge or other plain cake into five or six slices horizontally of uniform width. Sjn-cad each slice with jelly, using first tart and then sweet jelly if you have both, fit them together again in the loaf and ice all over with the whipped whites of five eggs and enough powdered sugar to make a

CAKE-MAKIXC. 73

stiff icing, adding the juice of one lemon. Set in slow oven for a few minutes to harden. A quick and easy way to prepare a fancy cake for tea when company appears unexpectedly.

Cheap Cake. — Beat two eggs in a cup and fill up ^P^^^^Sl with thick sour cream ; add one cup sugar, one and ^^^^^^^p one-half cups flour, one even teaspoon soda. Flavor smaii cake xms. to taste and bake in small pans. May be iced and marked in gold, as in directions for icing.

Chocolate Calie. — One cup butter, three of brown sugar, one of sweet milk, four of flour, yolks seven eggs, nine tablespoons grated Baker's chocolate, three teasi)oons baking ))owder. This may be leaked as a layer cake, making a white cake of whites of eggs, baking in layers and jiutting them together with frosting, alternating the layers.

Chocolate Marhle Cake. — ]\Iake a batter as for white cake, take out one cup, add to it five tablespoons grated chocolate, moisten witli milk and flavor with vanilla ; ])our a layer of the white batter into the baking-pan, then drop the chocolate batter with a spoon in spots, and spread the remainder of the white batter over it.

Crncinnatl Cake. — Pour over one pound fat salt pork, chopped fine and free from lean and rind, one pint boiling water ; let stand until nearly cold ; add two cups In'own sugar, one of molasses, one tablespoon each cloves and nutmeg, and two of cinnamon, two ])OUn(ls raisins, fourth pound citron, half glass brandy, three tea- spoons baking powder, and seven cups sifted flour. Bake slowly two and a half hours. This is excellent, and requires neither butter nor eggs.

Citron Cake. — One cup butter, two of sugar, three of flour, four eggs, one cup milk, one teaspoon soda, two of cream tartar, and pinch salt. After the al)ove has been put in the pan, cut the citron thin and put into the cake endways, pushing down until the batter covers it. This will prevent the citron falling to the bottom.

Cocoa-nut Cake. — One cup butter, three of sugar, one sweet milk, four and a half flour, four eggs with whites beaten to a stiff fuoth, a teaspoon soda, two of cream tartar, one grated cocoa-nut or one- fourtli pound prepared cocoanut.

Corn- Starch Cake. — Two coffee-cups pulverized sugar, three- fourtlis cup butter, cup corn starch dissolved in cup sweet milk, two cups flour, whites seven eggs, two teaspoons cream tartar teaspoon soda, or two teaspoons baking powder mixed thoroughly with flour ; cream butter and sugar, add starch and milk, then add whites and flour gradually until all is u.sed. Flavor with lemon or rose.

Coifee Cake. — Two cups brown sugar, one of butter, one of mo-

74 CAKK-MAKING,

lasses, one of strong coffee as prepare<l for the ta})le, four eggs, one teaspoon saleratus, two each cinnamon and cloves, one of grated nutmeg, pound each raisins and currants, four cups flour.

Coifee Cake. — One cup brown sugar, cup molasses, lialf cup butter, cup strong coffee, one egg or yolks of two, four even cups Hour, heaping teaspoon soda in the Hour, tablespoon cinnamon, tea- spoon cloves, two pounds raisins, fourth pound citron. jSoften the l)utter, beat with the sugar, add the egg, spices, molasses, and coffee, then the flour, and lastly the fruit dredged with a little flour. Bake one hour in moderate oven, or make in two small loaves which will bake in a sliort time. This may be made v.'ithout the egg.

Delicate Cake. — Three cups sifted flour, two of sugar, three- fourths cup sweet milk, whites of six eggs, half cup butter, teaspoon cream tartar, half teaspoon soda. Flavor with lemon. Good and easily made.

Delicate Cake. — Cream one-half pound butter with one poun<I powdered sugar, add whites sixteen eggs beaten stiff, half a nutmeg grated, and one teaspoon rose water. Stir well together and add gradually one pound sifted flour. Bake at once in moderate oven.

Eqgleas Cake. — One and a half teacups sugar, one of sour milk, three (level) of sifted flour, half cup butter, teaspoon soda, half tea- spoon cinnamon, half teaspoon grated nutmeg, cup raisins chopped and well floured.

Eggless Cak^. (Plain). — One cup sugar, half cu[) butter, half •"up sweet milk, two cups flour, one tablespoon cream tartar, half teaspoon soda.

Everlasting Cake. — Beat together the yolks of six eggs and three-fourths pint white sugar, add one and a half pints blanched and shelled almonds, half pound sliced citron well floured, and the whipped whites with one and a half pints sifted flour; pour one and a half inches thick in well-greased dripping pans, bake in a quick oven, and, when done, cut slices one inch thick across the cake, turn each slice over on its side, return to oven and bake a short time. When^cold place in a tin box. These will keep a year and a half or more.

Election Cake. — Five pounds sifted flour, two of butter, two of sugar, three gills distillery yeast, or twice the quantity of home l)rewed, four eggs, gill each wine and brandy, one quart sweet milk, half an ounce of nutmeg, two pounds raisins, one of citron ; rub but- ter and flour together very fine, a<id half the sugar, then the yeast and half the milk (hot in winter, blood-warm in summer), then add eggs, then remainder of milk and the wine ; ))eat well and let rise in a warm place all night ; in the morning beat along time, ailding brandy, sugar, spice, and f^ruit well Houreil.and allow to rise again very light,

CAKE-MAKING. 75

after which put in cake pans and let rise ten or fifteen minutes ; have the oven about as hot as for bread. This cake '^dll keep any length of time. For raised cakes use potato yeast if fresh made ; it is always a perfect success. This recipe is over one hundred years old.

Feather Cake. — One cup white sugar, one teaspoon melted but- ter, one egg, two-thirds cup milk, two cups sifted flour, two tea- npoons cream tartar and one of soda sifted in flour. Flavor with lemon. Delicious and cheap.

Fig Cake. — Two cups sugar, one small cup butter, one cup sweet milk, three and one-half cups flour, whites eight eggs beaten stifi", two teaspoons baking powder, one pound figs split ; put in a layer of batter and then one of figs, and so on until all is used.

Choice Fig Cake. — A large cup butter, two and a half of sugar, one of sweet milk, three j)ints flour with three teaspoons baking pow- <ler, whites sixteen eggs, a pound and a quarter figs well floured and cut in strips like citron ; no flavoring.

Marhled Fig Cake. — Light part : one cup sugar, one-third cup butter, one-third cup sweet milk, four eggs, whites only, one and one- half teaspoons baking yowder, one and one-half cups flour. Dark part : one-half cup brown sugar, one-tliird cup butter, one-third cup milk, one teaspoon baking powder, one cup flour, four egg-yolks and one whole egg, one teaspoon allspice, one teaspoon cinnamon, one pound figs sliced ; put in a layer of the dark with figs on top, then a layer of the light, and so on till all is used, in a deep cake-pan.

Fruit Cake. — One cup butter, one of brown sugar, half pint mo- lasses, two eggs, cup sour milk, teaspoon soda, pound each flour and currants, one and a half pound raisins. Flavor to taste. This has been thoroughly tested and is a great favorite.

Fruit Cake. — Twelve eggs, one and a half pounds each of but- ter, sugar^and flour, two pounds each raisins and currants, one pound citron, one half pint molasses, one ounce each nutmeg, mace and cloves, one and a half glasses jelly (grape is best), one-fourth pint each wine and brandy, more flour if needed. Put dough in y)ans, set in steamer, taking care that the cover is made to fit very tight ; if necessary, put cloth under the lid and shut it down on it, taking care that it does •not touch the cake, or lay several thicknesses of cloth over the lid. Steam two hours and bake one hour.

Fruit Loaf Cake. — One cup l)utter, two brown sugar, one New Orleans molasses, one sweet milk, three eggs, five cups sifted flour, two teas])oons cream tartar in the flour, teaspoon soda in the milk, tablespoon cinnamon, one nutmeg, one pound each raisins and cur- rants, quarter pound citron (citron may be omitted, and half the