CAKE MAKING.
Have all the ingredients measured or weighed, the pans lined with paper or oiled, the nuts or fruit prepared, and the flour sifted before beginning to make a cake. Sift the baking powder and cream of tartar and soda with the flour or a part of it. Use pastry flour for all cake. Never put all the milk into a cake batter by itself, as it curdles and makes a coarse grained cake, but stir it in alternately with the flour. Put all loaves of cake into a moderate oven, that they may rise before beginning to bake. After the cake rises the heat may be increased.
ANGEL CAKE.
The whites of nine large, fresh eggs. When they are partly beaten add one-half teaspoonful of cream of tartar and then finish beating—the cream of tartar makes them lighter—then add one and a quarter cups of granulated sugar, stir the sugar very lightly into the whites of the eggs, and add a teaspoonful of vanilla. Have flour sifted five times, measure a cupful and fold it in very carefully, not with a circular motion, and do not stir long. Turn it into a Turk's head mould and bake forty-five minutes. Do not grease the mould, and when taken out of the oven invert it until the cake is cold before removing from the pan. Never use a patent egg-beater for this cake, but a whip, taking long, rapid strokes, and make it in a large platter, not a bowl.
BERLINERKRANDS (a Norwegian Cake).
Half a pound of butter washed in two waters and beaten to a cream, two hard-boiled egg yolks mashed fine and stirred into two raw egg yolks, four ounces of powdered sugar stirred into the eggs, then mix all with the butter, add a pound of flour and a wineglass of brandy, mix well. Roll under the hand and make into small jumble cakes or krunchens. Beat the white of an egg, dip each cake into it and then roll in granulated sugar, bake a delicate brown in a very slow oven fifteen or twenty minutes. Grease the tins.
BLUEBERRY CAKE.
Half a cup of butter beaten to a cream with half a cup of sugar, one cup of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of thin sour cream or milk, three eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, two cups of berries, two and a half cups of flour, one teaspoonful of soda sifted with the flour. Bake as soft gingerbread and serve hot.
CINNAMON CAKE.
One cup of granulated sugar, butter the size of an egg, one egg, one cup of milk, two cups of flour, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda. Mix in the usual way, but sifting the soda and cream of tartar with the flour. Put in a shallow pan, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and bake about fifteen minutes in a moderate oven.
CREAM PUFFS.
One pint of water, half a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of flour, and ten eggs. Boil the water and butter together, and while boiling stir in the flour. Let it boil five minutes, then stir in the eggs one at a time without beating. Drop into a pan by spoonfuls—not close together—and bake in a quick oven fifteen minutes. When cold cut them open and fill with the cream.
Filling.—One quart of milk, two cups of sugar, one cup of flour and four eggs. Boil the milk, beat eggs, sugar and flour together and stir into the milk, stir constantly until thick—about five minutes—and flavor to taste.
LADY CAKE.
Half a cup of butter, one cup of granulated sugar, half a cup of milk, two cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, the whites of four eggs, and a teaspoonful of almond extract. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, stir the milk into one cup of the flour and add to the butter and sugar, then the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Sift the baking powder and remaining cup of flour together, add to the other ingredients with the teaspoonful of almond extract. If baked in a loaf it will require three-quarters of an hour or more.
HONEY CAKE (a Norwegian Recipe).
Two pounds of strained honey, three-quarters of a pound of light brown sugar, three-quarters of an ounce of bicarbonate of potash, pounded very fine and dissolved in a little water, one cup of cream, half a cup of melted butter, ginger, cloves and pepper to taste, stir this all well together, add to it as much flour as will make it like a thick mush, set it away until the next day, then turn it into a well-greased cake mould and bake about three-quarters of an hour.
SIMPLE FRUIT CAKE.
Three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, one pound of sifted flour, one-half pound of currants washed, one-half pound of raisins stoned and chopped, one-half pound of citron cut fine, one teaspoonful each of cloves, mace, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg, one-half cup of milk, one-half cup of brandy, four eggs and one teaspoonful of soda. Beat butter and sugar to a cream; add the yolks of eggs beaten light with the spices and brandy; then the fruit rolled in part of the flour; add the soda to the rest of the flour and stir alternately with the milk into the other ingredients; add at the last the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Bake two hours in a moderate oven.
BAVARIAN CAKE.
One-fifth of a pound of blanched and chopped almonds, one-fifth of a pound of flour, one-fifth of a pound of sugar, one-fifth of a pound of butter, two eggs, a saltspoonful of cinnamon, a saltspoonful of nutmeg. Put the flour in a mixing bowl, then the sugar and spices, the butter and almonds, break the two eggs over it all and beat with a spoon, form into a dough with the hands and roll out about an inch thick. Cut in any shape liked, either round, square or oblong, reserving a little for strips to decorate the top. Spread with jam, either currant or strawberry or raspberry, and lay the thin narrow strips of dough across the top. They should be cut with a jagging iron. Bake about three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven.
POUND CAKE.
One cup of butter, a cup and a half of flour, a cup and a half of granulated sugar, six eggs, and half a teaspoonful of baking powder, flavor with almond extract or any flavoring to suit the taste. Beat the eggs together very light, then, add sugar and beat again. Sift the flour and baking powder together, beat the butter to a cream, and stir the flour into it, and then add the eggs and sugar and flavoring.
SPONGE CAKE.—No. 1.
Twelve eggs, the weight of ten in powdered sugar, the weight of six in sifted flour, the grated rind and juice of one lemon. Beat the yolks of the eggs to a cream, add the sugar and stir well, and then the lemon juice and rind. Add the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and fold in the flour as quickly and lightly as possible.
SPONGE CAKE.—No. 2.
Four cups of flour, three cups of sugar, one cup of cold water, eight eggs, two even tablespoonfuls of baking powder, the grated peel of an orange. Pour the water on the sugar in a bowl, stir until almost dissolved, beat the whites to a stiff froth, the yolks to a cream, put one cup of flour with the yolks into the sugar and water, beat hard, add the whites of the eggs, mix the baking powder with the flour, and stir into the other ingredients by degrees quickly and lightly. Bake in a shallow pan in a quick oven. When it no longer sizzles it is done. Ice with a boiled icing while hot, flavored with almond extract.
CORN SPONGE CAKE (a Spanish Recipe).
Half a pound of corn meal, half a pound of butter, seven ounces of granulated sugar, seven eggs, two tablespoonfuls of catalan (brandy). Beat separately the whites and yolks of the eggs; when the yolks are beaten to a cream add the sugar, then the whites of eggs, stir the corn meal in lightly, then the butter melted, and the brandy. Mix well, pour into shallow pans well buttered, and bake in a moderate oven from twelve to fifteen minutes, test with a straw. Best when quite fresh.
SPICED GINGERBREAD.
One cup of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of boiling water, butter the size of an egg, half a teaspoonful of ground cloves, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one egg, one teaspoonful of ginger, half a teaspoonful of soda, a light half pound of flour, a quarter of a cup of brown sugar. Melt the butter and stir into the molasses, add the spices, then the water. Sift the soda with the flour and add at the last. Currants and raisins stoned and chopped may be added and are an improvement. The cake may be baked in a loaf or in small moulds.
CREAM GINGERBREAD.
One cup of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of sour cream, two cups of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of ginger, one even teaspoonful of soda, one egg, a little cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar. Beat the egg, sugar and spice together, add the molasses and one cup of flour, then the cream, after that the other cup of flour with the soda sifted together. It should be a thick batter, and if not thick enough add a little more flour—not more than half a cup. Bake in a shallow pan. When done the cake should be about two inches thick. Ice with boiled icing.
GINGER SPONGE CAKE.
Half a cup of milk, half a cup of molasses, one cup of sugar, a third of a cup of butter, a cup and a half of flour, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, a quarter of a teaspoonful of soda sifted together with the flour, two eggs, one teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, and half a teaspoonful of cloves. Bake in a shallow pan.
SOFT GINGERBREAD.
One cup of molasses, one cup of butter, one cup of brown sugar, one cup of sour milk, three and a half cups of flour, half a teaspoonful of soda, five eggs, ginger, allspice, cloves and cinnamon to taste. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, stir in the molasses and spice, add a cup of the flour, then part of the milk, mix the soda with the rest of the flour and stir in alternately with the milk. Bake in shallow pans in a moderate oven.
GINGER CAKES.
Three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of granulated sugar, one pound of flour, one teaspoonful of ginger, two even teaspoonfuls of soda sifted with the flour. Mix well together. Roll out, cut in small round cakes, brush over with white of egg, and sprinkle with sugar and finely chopped almonds. Bake in a slow oven.
GINGER SNAPS.—No. 1.
Rub three-quarters of a pound of butter into a pound of sifted flour and mix in half a pound of brown sugar, add six tablespoonfuls of ginger, one teaspoonful of powdered cloves, and two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, stir in a pint of Porto Rico molasses and the grated peel of a large lemon, add at the last a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in tepid water. Beat the mixture hard with a wooden spoon, make it into a lump of dough just stiff enough to roll. Cut in small cakes and bake in a moderate oven.
GINGER SNAPS.—No. 2.
One pint of Porto Rico molasses, one pound of brown sugar, one pound of butter, two pounds of flour, two tablespoonfuls of ginger, two of cinnamon, half a tablespoonful of allspice, a teaspoonful of nutmeg and half an ounce of soda. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the spice and molasses, mix the soda with half of the flour and stir all together. Roll thin, cut in small cakes and bake in a moderate oven.
HARD GINGERBREAD.
Two cups of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of brown sugar, one cup of butter, two tablespoonfuls of ginger, flour to make the dough stiff enough to roll. It requires to be kneaded thoroughly. It is better that the dough be made the day before the cakes are to be baked that it may dry a little, as they are spoiled if too much flour is added. Roll thin, cut in oblong cakes with a jagging iron, or in any way to suit the fancy.
BRANDY SNAPS.
One pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, three-quarters of a pound of maple syrup. Mix the ingredients well together and drop on greased paper; if it runs too much add flour, if not enough add more maple syrup.
PEPPER NUTS.—No. 1.
Two pounds of flour, one and a half pounds of sugar, half a pound of butter, three eggs, two even teaspoonfuls of soda sifted with the flour, pepper to taste. Beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar and beat very light, then the eggs and flour. Roll out and cut in small, round cakes, bake a light brown. They will keep a long time.
PEPPER NUTS—No. 2.
Half a pound of butter beaten to a cream, then add three-quarters of a pound of sugar, three egg yolks beaten light, half a cup of cream, two ounces of almonds chopped very fine, half a teaspoonful of almond extract, a little fine cut citron, and one pound of flour sifted with an even teaspoonful of soda. Mix well together, roll out and cut in small, round cakes and bake a light brown.
TEA CAKES.
One pint of cream, four heaping tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar, two eggs, a little cinnamon; beat well together and stir into it enough flour to roll. Roll out about a quarter of an inch thick, brush over with white of egg and sift sugar and cinnamon over it, cut into cakes about a finger long and one inch wide. Bake a delicate brown.
FIG CAKE.
Half a cup of butter, one cup of granulated sugar, half a cup of milk, two cups of flour, two rounded teaspoonfuls of baking powder, the whites of four eggs. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, stir the milk and one cup of the flour together and add to the butter and sugar. Sift the remaining cup of flour and the baking powder together, beat the whites of egg to a stiff froth and stir alternately with the flour into the other ingredients. Grease three layer cake tins well, divide the batter evenly and bake from seven to ten minutes.
Filling.—Boil without stirring until it is clear one cup of sugar wet with a little water; remove from the fire and stir into it three-quarters of a cup of figs chopped fine and a quarter of a cup of currants, washed and dried. Spread two of the layers with this, put them together and ice top and sides with a plain icing made as follows: The whites of two eggs beaten to a froth and one and a half cups of powdered sugar stirred into it and flavored with almond extract.
GINGER LAYER CAKE.
Two cups of flour, one cup of Porto Rico molasses, one cup of milk, the third of a cup of butter, one egg, one slightly heaping teaspoonful of soda sifted with the flour, one heaping teaspoonful of ginger, one cup of currants. Beat the egg a little, add the molasses with the butter melted and stirred into it, then the currants, about half the milk, all of the flour, beat well and add the rest of the milk. Bake in two cakes in a quick oven from twelve to fifteen minutes. Use the chocolate filling, given for chocolate layer cake, and ice the top and the sides with the same.
ORANGE CAKE.
Beat to a cream the yolks of four eggs with one cup of granulated sugar, to which add the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one-half cup of milk alternately with one and a half cups of sifted flour into which a teaspoonful and a half of baking powder has been well mixed. Beat well and bake in three layers if the pans are large, or four if small, in a quick oven from seven to ten minutes, try with a broom straw, and when it comes out clean remove from the oven. Don't let them bake a moment too long, or they will not absorb the icing.
Filling.—The whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, to which add a cup of powdered sugar, pouring it in all at once and beating hard, then the grated rind of an orange—select one dark in color—and the juice. The mixture should be like a thick cream. Spread thickly on the cake while hot, and to what is left add enough sugar—about half a cupful—for frosting to harden. Ice the top and sides. This is a delicious cake, easily and quickly made.
PINEAPPLE CAKE.
Make the cake by the same recipe as for orange cake. Bake in three layers.
Filling.—The whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth and a cup of powdered sugar. Grate enough fresh pineapple to have three-quarters of a cup of fruit. Strain, add the juice to the whites of eggs and sugar. Divide it, and into one part add the fruit strained from the juice. Use this for the filling. To the rest beat in half a cup of sugar and half a teaspoonful of almond extract, and ice the top and sides of the cake. It should be done while the cake is hot. This, as well as the orange cake, will keep in tin fresh for a week.
CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE.
Half a cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three whole eggs, or the whites of six, one cup of milk, three cups of flour, two even teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and one teaspoonful of soda. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs beaten together, sift the cream of tartar and soda in the flour, add the flour alternately with the milk. Bake in four or five layers.
Chocolate Filling.—Take two unbeaten whites of eggs and a cup and a half of powdered sugar and beat them together. Stir over the fire until smooth and glossy two ounces of Baker's unsweetened chocolate grated, with half a cup of powdered sugar and four tablespoonfuls of boiling water, remove from the fire and stir while hot into the eggs and sugar, and when it is cool spread the top and sides, and set the cake in the oven for a moment to dry the icing.
POOR MAN'S CAKE (a Norwegian Recipe).
Twenty yolks of eggs, five whites of eggs, a pound and a quarter of sugar, one pint of sweet cream or rich milk, a sherry glass of cognac, one cup of melted butter, a little pounded cardamom seed, and enough flour to roll thin. Beat the eggs together until light, add the sugar and beat again, then the cream, cognac and butter. Melt the butter and pour off from the salt. Cinnamon may be used instead of cardamom seed. Roll the dough as thin as paper, cut with a jagging iron in oblong pieces, slit one end with the iron and pass the other end through it. Fry in boiling fat, drain on paper, and when perfectly cold put in a stone jar. These cakes will keep for months.
VENISON CAKES (a Norwegian Recipe).
Six eggs beaten light with three-quarters of a pound of sugar, one cup of sweet cream or rich milk, a pound and a half of flour. When these ingredients are well mixed add four ounces of well washed butter, stir well together. Mix with the flour a little less than an even teaspoonful of ammonia, powdered fine—the cakes will rise better—and flavor with cardamom or cinnamon. Roll the dough with the hands until about the thickness of the little finger, cut in pieces about three inches long—the ends bias—lap them and snip with scissors or a knife around the outside to make points, then fry in boiling fat as crullers. These also keep a long time.
SEED CAKES.
A cup and a half of granulated sugar, a cup and a half of butter, four eggs, one tablespoonful of caraway seed and flour to roll. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the yolks beaten light, then the caraway seed. Beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add alternately with the flour—do not make the dough stiff. Roll thin, cut in small cakes and bake in a quick oven.
DROP CAKES.
A cup of butter, a cup and a half of sugar, four eggs, a pint of flour, a cup of currants, half a cup of sweet milk, a teaspoonful of baking powder. Drop with a teaspoon on greased pans and bake in a quick oven ten minutes.
LEBKUCHEN.
Half a pound of granulated sugar, half a pound of strained honey, half a pound of candied orange peel, half a pound of citron, half a pound of almonds blanched and cut fine, an even teaspoonful of bicarbonate of potash pounded very fine and a sherry glass of rum poured over it twenty-four hours before it is used, an even teaspoonful of cloves, an even teaspoonful of cinnamon, an even teaspoonful of powdered cardamom seed, the rind of half a lemon grated, and two eggs. Put the honey in a saucepan and let it come to a boil, pour it over the sugar in a mixing bowl and stir well, then add the flour, mix thoroughly, and set in a cool place for twenty-four hours. Then cut all the fruit fine and mix with the other ingredients thoroughly, beat the eggs and add to the mixture, put in the rum and potash last, stir well, and let it stand for an hour or two. Roll the dough out about a quarter of an inch thick, cut into cakes about three inches wide and five long, bake in a quick oven ten or fifteen minutes. Do not use more than two ounces of flour in rolling out the cakes. Ice them while hot.
Icing.—Half a pound of sugar and the juice of half a lemon and the same quantity of water as of lemon juice; stir together and spread on very thin.
MACAROONS (a Bavarian Recipe).
Blanch and chop fine half a pound of almonds. Beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, add half a pound of sugar and then the nuts. Drop from a small spoon on paraffine paper on a baking sheet and bake a delicate brown in a cool oven.
CHOCOLATE MACAROONS (a Bavarian Recipe).
Two ounces of almonds chopped fine, the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, stir in six ounces of sugar and an ounce and a half of grated chocolate, then add the almonds. Bake in a cool oven.
Three egg yolks, a pint and a half of cream, three-quarters of a pound of butter, an even teaspoonful of soda, one pound and a half of sugar, and flour enough to roll. Roll very thin and cut in small cakes; put half a blanched almond in the middle of each. Bake in a slow oven.
WALNUT WAFERS.
Beat two eggs very light and add to them half a pound of brown sugar; beat again and stir in half a cup of flour with a quarter of a teaspoonful of baking powder, a third of a teaspoonful of salt and half a cup of walnut meats slightly chopped. Drop in small spoonfuls on buttered tins, not too close together, and bake brown. The dough should not be too thin; try one or two and if too thin add a very little more flour.
JODE CAKES (a Norwegian Recipe).
Three egg yolks, a pint and a half of cream, three-quarters of a pound of butter, an even teaspoonful of soda, one pound and a half of sugar and flour enough to roll. Roll very thin and cut in small cakes; put half a blanched almond in the middle of each. Bake in a slow oven.
FROSTING.
Three-quarters of a cup of powdered sugar to the white of one egg, flavoring to taste. Beat the white of egg to a stiff froth and turn all the sugar into it; see that the sugar is free from lumps, beat hard and flavor according to the cake.
BOILED ICING.
One cup of granulated sugar, five tablespoonfuls of boiling water, the white of one egg beaten to a stiff froth. Put the sugar and water over the fire and boil until it threads from the spoon; then turn it into the beaten egg, beat briskly for a few minutes, flavor with vanilla, lemon or almond, according to the cake. While the cake is still warm, sprinkle with flour and spread the icing on with a broad knife.
