There are practically two kinds of cake, that made with butter, and cake made without butter. When these two methods are understood, cake making becomes easy. A few simple rules must govern all cake making.

1st. Regulate the heat. Cakes without butter require a quick oven; with butter, a moderate oven. 2nd. Beat whites and yolks separately. 3rd. Beat butter and sugar to a cream. 4th. Add the whites last. 5th. Currants should be cleaned, washed and dried and floured (to which flour some of the baking powder should be added). 6th. Add the milk or water gradually. 7th. Sift the flour before measuring. 8th. 2 level tsps. of baking powder are equal to 1/2 tsp. soda and 1 tsp. cream of tartar. 9th. When looking at a cake while baking, do it quickly and without jarring the stove. 10th. To find out if it is baked, run a broom straw through the centre, if no dough adheres the cake is done. 11th. If browning too quickly, cover with brown paper and reduce the heat gradually. This is usually necessary in baking fruit cake. 12th. Mix cake in an earthen bowl, never in tin. 13th. Soda, cream of tartar, and baking powder should be crushed and sifted with the flour. Always attend to the fire before beginning to make cake. Coarse granulated sugar makes a coarse, heavy cake. If cake browns before rising the oven is too hot. When it rises in the centre and cracks open it is too stiff with flour. It should rise first round the edge, then in the middle and remain level.

• 1 cup molasses.
• 2 tbsps. butter.
• 1 tsp. ginger.
• 1 pint flour.
• 1/2 cup sour milk.
• 1 tsp. soda.
• 1 egg.

Put the molasses and butter in a pan and set on the stove. When the mixture boils up add the soda and ginger, and take from the fire immediately. Add the milk, the well-beaten egg and the flour, beat well. Bake in a shallow cake pan in a rather quick oven for 20 minutes.

• 1/4 cup butter.
• 1/2 cup molasses.
• 1/2 cup sour milk.
• 1/2 ssp. salt.
• 1/2 tsp. soda.
• The juice and rind of 1/2 lemon.
• 1/2 cup sugar.
• 2-1/2 cups flour.
• 1/2 tsp. ginger.
• 1 tsp. cinnamon.
• 1/4 nutmeg, grated.
• 1 egg.

Beat the butter to a cream. Gradually beat into it the sugar, then the spice and lemon, next the molasses. Now dissolve the soda in one tbsp. cold water and stir it into the sour milk; add this, and the egg well beaten, to the other ingredients. Lastly add the flour, and beat briskly for 1/2 minute. Pour into a well buttered pan and bake in a moderate oven for about 50 minutes.

• 3 eggs.
• 2/3 cup flour.
• 2/3 cup pulverized sugar.
• The grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon.

Beat the yolks of the eggs and sugar until very light, now add the juice and rind of the lemon and half the flour; beat the whites to a very stiff froth, add the remainder of the flour and the whites alternately, stirring lightly, pour into a greased cake pan. Bake in a quick oven from 25 to 30 minutes.

• 2 eggs.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 1-1/2 cup flour.
• 1/2 tsp. salt.
• 1 cup sweet milk.
• 3 (l.) tsps. baking powder.

Beat the eggs separately till very light, then beat them together, add the sugar, then the milk gradually, then the flour in which the salt and baking powder have been mixed. Spread very thin on long shallow pans. Spread with jelly while warm and roll up.

• 1 cup butter.
• 1 cup milk.
• 2 tsps. caraway seeds.
• 3 tsps. baking powder.
• 1-1/2 cup sugar.
• 3 eggs.
• 3 cups flour.

Cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, then the yolks of the eggs, then the seeds; sift the baking powder with the flour; add the flour and milk alternately a little at a time, lastly the whites which have been beaten stiff and dry; bake from 40 to 50 minutes.

• 1/2 cup butter.
• 1/4 cup milk.
• 2 even tsps. baking powder.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 1 egg.
• Flour to roll out thin.

Cream the butter, add the sugar, milk, egg beaten lightly, and the baking powder mixed with two cups of flour, then enough more flour to roll out. Roll a little at a time. Cut out. Bake about 10 minutes.

• 1/2 cup butter.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 2-1/2 cups flour.
• 3 eggs.
• 2/3 cup milk.
• 4 (l.) tsps. baking powder.

Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the yolks of the eggs gradually; then the flour and milk alternately (sifting the baking powder with the flour), add the well-beaten whites last. Bake in 3 tins in a moderate oven about 15 minutes. (Flavoring has been omitted in this recipe as the cake is more delicate by allowing the filling to provide the flavor.)

• 3 eggs.
• 1 cup milk.
• 1 oz. candied lemon.
• 4 (l.) tsps. baking powder.
• 2/3 cup butter.
• 3 (l.) cups flour.
• 1 cup raisins.

Mix as directed in preceding recipe, only mixing the fruit with the flour and baking powder.

• Whites of 2 eggs.
• 1/2 lb. powdered sugar.
• 1 tsp. of lemon juice.

Have the material very cold. Break the eggs carefully, beat the whites until frothy (not stiff); sift the sugar in gradually, beating all the while; add the lemon juice and continue beating until fine and white, and stiff enough to stand alone. Keep in a cool place, when using, spread with a knife dipped in cold water. If used for ornamenting press through a tube. It may be divided and different colorings added.

• 1 cup granulated sugar.
• 1/3 cup boiling water.
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar.
• White of 1 egg.

Boil the sugar and water together until it hangs from the spoon. Beat the egg to a stiff froth, add the cream of tartar, then pour on the syrup, beating all the while. Beat until cold and thick.

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