LAYER CAKES

To 1>l;uu'h almonds, pour boiling water over them, let boil a mo- ment, drain and throw them into cold water, slip off tlie skins and ]ioiind. To prepare cocoa-nut see cake preface. Wlien dessicated cocoa-nut is used for fdling moisten with a little milk. The cut of gititer given illustrates an inexpen- sive article necessary in cvi'iv kitchen, used for grating co- coa-nuts, lemons, orang<>s and other llavoring, cheese, horse- radish, etc.

The "derman"' cakes may he baked in jelly tins.

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AJrnond Cake. — Two cups sugar, three-fourths cup l^ittcr, one of s\v(^et milk, two of Hour, and one of corn starch well mixed^ whites of six eggs, two teaspoons cream tartar in the flour, one tea- spoon soda in the milk ; cream the butter and sugar, add milk grad- ually, tlien the whites of eggs together with tbe Hour, and bake in jell}' tins. To put between layers, take two pounds almonds, Idanch and pound hue in a mortar (or a cloth Avill (hi), beat whites and yolks of two eggs together lightly, ad<l a cup and a half sugar, then the almonds, with one tablespoon vanilla.

Almond Cream Cake. — On beaten whites of ten eggs, sift one and a half goblets pulverized sugar, and a goblet flour through Avhich has been stirred a heaping teas])oon cream tartar; stir very gently and do not beat it ; l)ake in jelly ])ans. For cream, take a half pint sweet crcain, yolks of three eggs, tablespoon pulverized sugar, teaspoon cornstarch ; dissolve starch smoothly in a little )nilk, beat yolks and sugar together with this, l>oil the cicam, and stii- these ingredients in as for any cream-cake filling, only make a little thicker; l)lanch and chop fine a h;df pound almonds and stir into the cream. Put together like jelly cake while icing is soft, and stick in a half pound almonds split in two.

Apple (/ale. — One cu]) butter, two of sugar, three of flour, four eggs, half cup milk, tlii-ee teasjiooiis baking ])owder: Itake in jelly tins. For filling, slir togc^ther a grat(Ml lemon, a large grated tart apple, an egg, and a cup sugar, and l)f>il four minute,s. A very ex- cellent cake.

German Apple Cake. — Pare twenty-four good a|)])les and cut each into six equal pieces. Tak(^ some dough made as for German Fruit cake and roll out enough for two layers, cut round, turn up some for margin, ])lace on white ])a|)<M" and paste band of pai)er around to keep in shape. Put tbe a[»[>les on the dough in rows, set in a ([Uick oven an<l bake till light brown. While hot sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Banana Cal'e. — Si.x eggs, one cup butter, two cu])s eacli sugar, flour and corn starch, one cup sweet milk, three teas})oons baking

86 LAYER CAKES.

powder. Bake in layers, and while warm place sliced bananas be- tween, lee and eat while fresh. Enough for two cake.s.

Boston Cream Pu^s.—Vwi half pint milk and two-third.s cup })Utter over tlie fire ; when it comes to a boil stir in one and one-half cups sifted flour and continue stirring until smooth and the mixture leaves the sides of the i)an. Remove from the fire and beat thor- oughly into it five eggs, first stirred together lightly to break up and mix tiie whites and yolks, but do not lieat them before a<lding to the Hour and milk. Drop on cold greased tins, a tablespoon in a j)lace. leaving space l^etween to prevent touching, brush over with the yolk of an egg mixed with a little Avater, and sjjrinkle with granulated sugar. Bake thirty-one minutes in a medium oven (test same as for angel cake), or until all moisture is thoroughly dried out, lest they may fall. When done they Avill be hollow. Let them get cold, then make an opening in the side and fill the siniccAvith whipped cream or custard. The neatest way to put in the filling is to injeet it through the meringue l)ag, but a' s])0on may be used. For tJie whipped cream, ten ounces powdered sugar, a quart of cream ; Avhip up stifl" and flavor with one tables])oon vanilla, or juice of one orange or grat- ed i)eel dissolvecl in a little hot water and strained ofi". For custard fil- ling, take one ])int milk, })l;u'e one-half in a tin ])ail and set in boiling water; reserve from the other half two tablespoons to mix with eggs, and intothe rest, Avhil(M'ol(l,mix one cup of flour until smooth ; when the milkis hot pour in the flourand stir until thieker than boiled cus- tard, then l)eat well together the two tal)les))oons milk, two eggs, one c-up granulated sugar, a level tables])Oon butter, and a teaspoon vanilla or lemon ; add gradually, and continue

Buclrye Cream J^uif^'s. — Five eggs, whites and yolks beaten sejiarately, one and a half cups each white sugar and sifted flour, two teas|)oons baking powder in the flour ; bake intea-cui»s. filling about half full. The cream is prepared by plaeing a small tin ]>ail contain- ing a pint sweet milk in a kettle of boiling water ; beat whites and yolks of two eggs separately ; stir in milk while boiling, a half tea- cup sugar, a large tablespoon corn starch dissolved in a little sweet milk, then the beaten yolks and a piece of butter the size of a large walnut; flavor with lemon or vanilla. When done, cut the cakes open, put in a spoonhd of the cream. })lace together again, roll in the whites and then in coarse granulated sugar.

Cake with Maple Frost t7ip. — Three eggs, one cup white sugar, two tablespoons sweet milk, one heaping cup flour with two teaspoons baking j^owder in it. Filling : One cup maple syrup boiled to wax ; beat white of one egg to stiff froth, and pour on the syrup, stirring briskly. Very nice.

LAYEIJ CAKES. 87

Caramel Cake. — < le and a half cups sugar, three-fourths cup l>utter, half cup milk, two and a fourth cups Hour, three eggs, three and a half heaping teaspoons baking powder, or a small teaspoon soda, and two teaspoons cream tartar ; bake in jelly tins. Make caramel as follows : Butter size of an egg, pint brown sugar, half cup milk or water, half cake chocolate ; boil twenty minutes (or un- til thick enough) and pour over cakes while warm, piling the layers one upon the other. For frt)sting for top of (^ake, take whites of two eggs, one and a half cups sugar, teaspoon vanilla, three heaping tea- spoons grated chocolate.

Chocolate Cake. — One cupbutter,two of sugar, one ofmilk, five eggs, lea\4ng out whites of tiu-ee, four cups sifted Hour, two teaspoons l)aking powder or one small teaspoon soda and two of cream tartar in the flour ; flavor with vanilla and bake in four layers. For fdling and icing, take whites of three eggs beaten stiff, one and a half cups ])Owdered sugar, six tablesj)oons grated chocolate. Or, use one of the recipes for boiled frosting given under " Directions for Frosting," (adding the chocolate) which is considered l)v many to be much su- perior, especially for chocolate cakes. The boiled frosting without eggs is economical, and the cake may be made with one or two, using a little more Hour.

Delicious Chocolate Cake. — 'Wliites of eight eggs, two cups sugar, one of butter, three full cups tlour, one of sweet milk, three teaspoons baking powder; beat the butter to a cream, stir in the sugar, and l>eat until light ; add the milk, then the flour and beaten whites. When well beaten divide into ecjual parts, and into half grate a cake sweet chocolate. Bake in layers, spread with custard, and alternate the white and dark cakes. For custard for the cake, add a table- spoon butter to one pint milk and let come to a boil ; stir in two eggs beaten with one cup sugar, add two teaspoons corn starch dis- solved in a little milk ; or, leave the chocolate out of the cake, and use boiled frosting with six tablespoons grated chocolate, instead of the custard, icing the top also with the mixture.

Chocolate Filling. — Two ounces chocolate cooked over hot water with one cup water and one ounce sugar. Spread ))etween layers.

Gey^man Chocolate Cake. — Mix four ounces each fresh l)utter and fine sugar and yolks of twelve eggs beaten to a froth ; then add eight ounces each ])owdered almonds and grated vanilla chocolate; istir well together, then put in two ounces sifted flour and last the well whipped whites twelve eggs. Cut two pieces of white paper round, leaving a margin to turn up around the edge, ^lake the cake equally thick on both pieces of paper, set in a slow oven and bake ; when cold put a layer of preserved cherries on one and lay the other cake on top of it ; trim the edges smooth and ice with chocolate icing,

88 LAYEE CAKES.

made bv dissolving six ounces sugar in water and adding six ounces clioeolate ; stir constantly ; let cook till it will follow the spoon Avhen taken out or a skin has formed upon it. You can trim the cake with Avhite icing in fancy designs and garnisli the plate with fruit and white icing.

Chocolate Eclairs. — Make paste after recipe for "Boston Cream Puffs," shape into cakes about four inches long and one and one- half wide, placing them on cold greased tins about two inches apart ; bake as puflis. As they come from the oven dip -the tops of the eclairs into an icing made by stirring over the tire two s(|uares scraped i'hocolate with five tablespoons powdered sugar and three of boil- ing water. When cold make an o|)ening in the side and fill with this custard ; Heat to boiling one and one-half cups milk in steam boiler, beat together two-thirds cup sugar, one-fourth cup flour, two eggs, and one-fourth teasi)Oon salt, and stir the mixture into the boiling milk. Cook fifteen minutes, stirring often ; when cold flavor Avith vanilla extract; if a chocolate flavor is preferred in the cream add one teaspoon dissolved chocolate.

Cocoa-mit Cake. — To the well-beaten yolks of six eggs add two cujts powdered white sugar, three-fourths cup butter, one of sweet milk, three and a half of flour, one level teasjtoon soda and two of <-ream tartar, whites of four eggs well beaten ; bake in four layers. For icing, grate one cocoa-nut.beat whites of two eggs, and add one tea-cup ])owdered sugar; mix thoroughly with the grated cocoa-nut, and spread evenly on the layers of cak(.' Avhen they are cold.

Cream Cake. — One cup sugar, yolks of two eggs and white of one, one-half cup sweet milk, one and one-half cups flour, butter size of an egg, three teaspoons baking jiowder ; bake in layers. Cream for filling: One-half cup sweet milk, or water, tliree teaspoons powdered sugar, one tablespoon eorn starch. Boil until thick, remove from stove, and when partially cool stir in the whipped white of one egg; flavor Avith vanilla and spread l)etween layers. Economical, deli- cious, and easily made.

French Cream Cake. — Three eggs, one cup granulated sugar, one and a half cups flour, two tablespoons cold water, teaspoon bak- ing powder. This is enough for two cakes baked in pie-pans, to be split while warm, spreading the hot custard l>etween them, or for four cakes baked in jelly-pans, Avith the hot custard spread betAveen them, the latter being the preferable plan. For custard, l)oil nearly one ])int sweet milk, mix tAvo tablespoons corn starch Avith half a teacup sAveet milk, add two AA'cll-beaten eggs ; Avhen milk has l>oiled add nearly a cu]) sugar, and add gradually the corn starch and eggs, stirring lu'iskly ; adtl a half cup butter, stirring until dissolved, flavor Avith one teaspoon vanilla, and spread between cakes Avhile hot. This cake can be used as a pudding by ]>ouring over each piece a spoonfid of the custard that is left.

LAYER CAKES. 89

Golden Cream Cake — Cream one cup sugar and one-fourth cup butter, add half cup sweet milk, and the well-beaten whites three eggs, one and a half cu]:)S flour, with half a teaspoon soda, and a teaspoon cream tartar sifted with it ; bake in three deep jelly-tins ; beat ver_v light 3'olks of two eggs, one cup sugar, and two tablespoons rich sweet cream, flavor M-ith vanilla, and spread on cakes ; or to yolks add one and a half tablespoons corn starch, three-quarters cup sweet milk and small piece butter; sweeten and flavor to taste, cook in a cus- tard-kettle till thick, let cool, and then sprca<l.

Peach Cream Cake. — Bake tbree sheets of sponge cake as for jelly cake; cut peaches in thin slices, prepare cream by whipping, sweetening and adding flavor of vanilla if desired, put layers of peaches betAveen the sheets of cake, ])our cream over each layer and over the top. This may also be made Avith ri])e strawberries, banana or other fruit.

Strwwhemj Cream Cake. — One cup sugar, two eggs, one-half cup sweet milk, tlnvc ta])lespoons melted butter, one and one-half cups flour, one teasjioon soda, two teaspoons cream tartar ; bake in layers. Cream : Take one-half cup thick sweet cream, beat till stiff", add two tablespoons sugar, have one large cup of berries well sweet- ened, add to cream and spread your cake ; or, mash a sufhcient quan- tit}'' of berries, thicken with confectioner's (fine powdered) sugar and spread between layers.

Vienna Cream Cake. — Four eggs, one cup sugar, one cup flour, one tablespoon melted butter, three teaspoons l)aking powder, one teaspoon lemon ; l)ake in jelly-tins. Cream : One cup thick sour cream, one cup sugar, one cup liickory-nut or walnut meats rolled fine; stir all together and put on stove, boil five minutes, spread between the layers ; ice the top ; delicious.

Whipped Cream Cake. — Make a white sponge cake, Ijake half an inch thick in jelly pans and let them get perfectly cold ; take a pint thickest sweet cream, l)eat until it looks like ice-cream, make very sweet and flavor Avith vanilla; blanch and chop a pound al- monds, stir into cream and i)at very thick Ijctwcen each layer. This is the queen of all cakes.

Dominoes — Make cake after recipe given for Lemon SpongeCake^ bake in long pie-tins (two such tins will make twelve dominoes, and if no more are required the rest of the batter maybe baked in a loaf). The batter in the pie-tins should not be more than one-third of an inch dcc]:» ; spread it evenly and l):ike in a quick oven. Have a brown ])a])er neai'ly twice the size of tlie cake on tbe table, and the moment one of the cakes conies from tbe oven turn it upside down in the center of the paper, spread it witli a thin layer of currant jelly and lay the other cake on it upside down, cut it with a hot, sharp knife lengthwise, directly tbrough the center, then divide it across in.

90 LAYEK CAKES.

.-ix oqual parts, push them with the knife about an incli apart and ice them with ordinary white icing, putting a large dessert-spoonful on every piece ; the heat of the cake will soften it and with a little help the edges and sides will be smoothly covered. All of the icing that runs over on the paper may be carefully taken up and used again. It must then dry, which it will do very quickly. Make a horn of stiff white paper about five inches long, one and a half inches across the top and one-eighth of an inch at the other end ; put in a dessert-spoon of dark chocolate icing, close the horn at the top, and pressing out the icing from the small opening, draw a line of it across the center of every cake, and then make spots like those on ivory doniinoes ; keep the horn supplied with icing. Or use a meringue bag if you have one.

Eggless Jelly Cake. — Two cups flour, two teaspoons each cream tartar and soda, evenly mixed with flour; one cup each sweet milk and sugar, and one large spoon butter or lard. Beat all together and bake in a quick oven. An excellent cheap jelly cake.

Fig Cake. — Two cups sugar, one cup each butter and milk, three of flour, two teaspoons baking powder sifted with flour, whites of eight eggs. Bake in layers. Make an icing of whites of two eggs and half pound sugar, and mix -snth it one pound each figs, blanched al- monas and filberts chopped fine and spread between layers ; or cut half pound figs fine and boil until soft with one cup sugar and half cup water, and use for filling. The cake may be more economically made by using yolks of five eggs and whites of three for layers, re- serving whites of two for icing.

Fig Cake. — Silver part : Two cups sugar, two-thirds cup but- ter, not quite two-thirds cup sweet milk, whites of eight eggs, three heaping teaspoons baking powder thoroughly sifted with three cups flour ; stir sugar and butter to a cream, add milk and flour, and last whites of eggs. Gold part : One cup sugar, three-fourths cup butter, half cup sweet milk, one and a half teaspoons baking pow- der sifted in alittlemorethan oneandahalf cups flour, yolks of seven eggs thoroughly beaten, and one whole egg, one teaspoon allspice, and cinnamon until it tastes ; bake the Avhite in two long pie-tins. Put half the gold in a pie-tin, and lay on one pound halved figs (previously sifted over with flour), so tliat they will just touch each other, put on the rest of the gold and bake. Put the cakes together with frosting while warm, the gold between the white ones, and cover with frosting.

Hard Times Cake. — Half cup butter, two of sugar, one of sour cream, three of flour, three eggs, half teaspoon soda ; bake in layers and spread with jelly.

Hickory-Nut Custard Cake. — Cream one pound sugar and half j»nund butter: add five eggs beaten separately, one cup sweet milk,

LAYER CAKES. 91

one pound flour, three teaspoons baking poAvder, flavor with lemon, and bake in jelly-pans. For custard, place one pint milk in a tin pail and set in boiling water ; add a tablespoon corn starch dissolv- ed in a little milk, two eggs, one-half cup sugar, two cups chopped hickory-nut meats, well mixed together, to the boiling milk ; stir, and put between the layers of the cake, M'hile both cake and custard are warm. This is excellent.

Ice-Gream Cake. — One-fourth pound each butter and powdered sugar, half pint milk, half pound flour, six eggs, one glass wine, one nutmeg; bake quickly in iron gem-pans. They rise light with hol- low center. When cold, cut a round hole in top (as you would "plug" a melon), All with ice-cream just before serving, so that it will not have time to melt.

Jelly Boll. — Beat twelve eggs and one pound pulverized sugar together very lightly, then stir in three-fourths pound flour, making batter as light as for sponge cake, and thin enough to spread nicely when poured ;make ivp as quickly as possible. Have shallow

tin pans prepared (about twelve by eigh-

teen inches and an inch deep) by lining ^"^^^STrST with thin brown paper, using no grease on pan or paper ; pour in batter, spread out with a knife as thin as possible (about half an inch thick), and bake in solid oven. When done, remove from oven, let cool a few minutes, and while still warm, but not hot, turn out of pan upside down. With a brush or soft cloth wet in cold water brush over the paper and pull it off; spread cake thin with jelly and roll it up, being careful to place the outer edge of roll against some- thing so that it will not unroll until cold. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. If baked in pans such as are described above, the recipe "will make two rolls, each twelve inches long, which should be cut in two, making four rolls. Use no baking powder as it makes the cake too brittle. Many use none in sponge cake. The paper lining should be larger than pan, to lift out the cake by taking hold of the projecting edges. This never fails.

Jelly Roll. — Cream one cup sugar with one tablespoon butter, and add three eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, one cup flour and one teaspoon baking powder ; bake carefully in large square pan lined with buttered paper, spread the under side with jelly, and roll while hot, folding in clean towel or paper to keep in place. Eco- nomical and good. For Chocolate Roll use this filling. One cup powdered sugar, half cup grated chocolate, one egg, nearly one- half cup milk or water, boil steadily until thick as jelly ; let it cool before your cake is ready.

Lemon Jelly Cake. — Two eggs, one cup sugar, one-third cup butter, one-half cup milk, two cups sifted flour, a heaping teaspoon baking powder ; bake in layers. Jelly ; Two-thirds cup water, one