The proper beating of the whites of the eggs is an important matter in cake-making. There are a number of machines for this purpose, which are in turn eagerly adopted by inexperienced persons; but for private use not one of them is comparable to hand-beating. When once the knack of beating eggs is acquired but little labour is needed to bring them to the right consistency; indeed, the most successful result is that which is the most rapidly attained. The whites of eggs for beating should be fresh, and should be carefully separated from the yolks by passing and repassing them in the two halves of the shell. It is best to beat the whites immediately they are broken, but if this is not possible, they must be kept in a cool place until wanted. If ice is at hand, it will be found advantageous to keep the eggs in it. In well-furnished kitchens a copper beating-bowl is provided; it should not be tinned, as contact with this metal will blacken the eggs; for this reason, the whisk, if of iron wire, should not be new. An earthenware bowl with circular bottom, and sufficiently large to admit of a good stroke in beating, answers the purpose perfectly well. A pinch of salt may be added to the whites, and if an inexperienced beater finds them assume a granulated appearance, a little lemon-juice will remedy it. Begin by beating gently, increasing the pace as the egg thickens. As it is the air mixing with the albumen of the eggs which causes them to froth, it is necessary to beat them in a well-ventilated and cool place, so that they may absorb as much air as possible.

If these simple and important conditions are observed, the whites of a dozen eggs may be beaten to the strongest point, without fatigue to the operator, in five minutes. When the whites are properly beaten they should turn out of the bowl in one mass, and, after standing a little while, will not show signs of returning to their original state.

In order more easily to make cakes and biscuits into the composition of which almonds and cocoa-nut enter largely, manufacturers supply both of these pounded or desiccated. It is, however, preferable to prepare the former fresh, and much time and trouble may be saved in passing almonds through Kent's Combination Mincer, 199, High Holborn, instead of laboriously pounding them in a mortar. The result is, besides, more satisfactory, the paste being smoother than it can otherwise be made in domestic practice.

Cakes of the description for which we now give recipes cannot be made well unless the materials are properly prepared and thoroughly beaten. It is clear that if eggs are not beaten to such a consistency that they will bear the weight of the other ingredients, the result must be a heavy cake.

Currants for cakes, after they have been washed and picked, should be scalded, in order to swell them and make them more tender. Put the currants into a basin, pour boiling water over them, cover the basin with a plate; after they have stood a minute, drain away the water and throw the fruit on a cloth to absorb the moisture. Put the currants on a dish or plate in a very cool oven, turning occasionally until thoroughly dry; dust a little flour over them, and they will be ready for use.

Castor sugar for cakes works more easily when it is fine. For superior cakes raw sugar will not answer.

POUND CAKE.

One pound fresh butter, one pound Vienna flour, six eggs (or seven, if small), one pound castor sugar, quarter of a pound almonds cut small, half-a-pound of currants or sultanas, three ounces of candied peel, a few drops of essence of ratafia.

The butter to be beaten to a cream. If it is hard warm the pan. Add the sugar gradually; next the eggs, which must previously be well beaten up; then sift in the flour; and, last of all, put in fruit, almonds, and flavouring.

This cake takes about half-an-hour to mix, as all the ingredients must be well beaten together with an iron spoon from left to right. Bake in small tins, for about forty minutes, in a moderate oven.

PLAIN POUND CAKE.

Half-a-pound of fresh butter, three eggs, one pound of Vienna flour, one pound of castor sugar, a quarter of a pound of almonds cut small, half-a-pound of currants, three ounces of candied peel, a few drops of essence of ratafia.

Beat the butter to a cream, from left to right, and mix in the sugar gradually. Beat the eggs up, and mix them with half-a-pint of new milk; stir into the butter; then add the flour; and, last of all, the fruit.

SAVOY SPONGE CAKE.

Beat half-a-pound of finely sifted sugar with the yolks of four eggs until you have a thick batter, stir in lightly six ounces of fine dry sifted flour, then the whites of the eggs beaten to a very strong froth. Have ready a tin which has been lightly buttered, and then covered with as much sifted sugar as will adhere to it. Pour in the cake mixture, taking care the tin is not more than half full, and bake for half-an-hour.

LEMON SAVOY SPONGE.

Half-a-pound of loaf sugar, rub some of the lumps on the peel of two lemons, so as to get all the flavour from them; dissolve the sugar in half a gill of boiling water; add the juice of the lemons, or one of them if a large size, and beat with the yolks of four eggs until very white and thick; stir in a quarter of a pound of fine flour, beat the whites of the eggs to a strong froth, and mix as thoroughly but as lightly as possible; butter and sift sugar over a mould, nearly fill it with cake mixture, and bake at dark yellow paper heat for thirty minutes.

MACAROONS.

Beat up a packet of Nelson's Albumen with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to a strong froth, mix in half-a-pound of finely-sifted sugar and two ounces each of pounded sweet and bitter almonds. Flour a baking-sheet, and lay on it sheets of wafer-paper, which can be bought at the confectioner's, and drop on to them at equal distances, a small piece of the paste. Bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes, or until the macaroons are crisp and of a golden colour. When done cut round the wafer-paper with a knife, and put the cakes on a sieve to dry.

In following recipes for this class of cake some judgment is required in the choice of the sugar, and the result will vary greatly according as this is of the right sort, or otherwise. A little more or less sugar may be required, and only practice can make perfect in this matter. As a general direction, it may be given that the sugar must be of the finest quality, and be very finely sifted, but not flour-like.

COCOA-NUT CAKES.

Beat up a packet of Nelson's Albumen with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to a strong froth, mix with it a quarter of a pound of finely sifted sugar, and two ounces of Edwards' Desiccated Cokernut. Put sheets of wafer-paper on a baking-tin, drop small pieces of the cake mixture on to it, keeping them in a rocky shape. Bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes, or until crisp.

CHOCOLATE CAKES.

Whisk a packet of Nelson's Albumen with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to the strongest possible froth, mix in half-a-pound of finely sifted sugar, two teaspoonfuls of Schweitzer's Cocoatina, and six drops of Nelson's Essence of Vanilla; sift paper thickly with sugar, and drop small teaspoonfuls of the mixture at equal distances on it, allowing space for the cakes to spread a little. Bake for ten minutes in a moderate oven.

COCOA-NUT ROCK.

Boil half-a-pound of loaf sugar in a gill of water until it is beginning to return again to sugar, when cool add a packet of Nelson's Albumen whisked to a strong froth with three teaspoonfuls of water, and stir in a quarter of a pound of Edwards' Desiccated Cokernut. Spread the mixture, not more than an inch thick, in a greased pudding-tin, and place in a cool oven to dry. When done cut in neat squares, and keep in tins in a cool, dry place.

SUGAR ICING.

No icing can be successfully done unless the sugar is of the finest kind, perfectly white, and so finely sifted as hardly to be distinguished by the eye from potato-flour. Such sugar can now generally be procured of the best grocers at a moderate price. The process of sifting the sugar at home is somewhat slow and troublesome, but by so doing a perfectly pure article is secured. After being crushed the sugar should be passed through sieves of varying fineness, and, finally, through one made for the purpose, or failing this, very fine muslin will answer. When the sugar has been sifted at home, and it is certain there is no admixture of any kind with it, a small quantity of "fÉcule de pommes de terre" (potato-flour) may be added; it reduces sweetness, and does not interfere with the result of the process. If the sugar is not sifted very fine a much longer time will be required to make the icing, and in the end it will not look so smooth as it ought to do. Confectioners use pyroligneous acid instead of lemon-juice, and there is no objection to it in small quantities. To make the icing, beat up a packet of Nelson's Albumen dissolved with three teaspoonfuls of cold water, work in by degrees one pound of fine icing sugar, adding a teaspoonful of lemon-juice or a few drops of pyroligneous acid, which will assist in keeping the icing white, or a slight tinge of stone-blue will have the same effect. If potato-flour is used, mix it thoroughly with the sugar before adding it to the white of egg. A little more or less sugar may be required, as the result is in great measure determined by the method of the operator; and when the paste is perfectly smooth, and will spread without running, it is fit for use. For icing large cakes confectioners use a stand which has a revolving board, so that cakes can conveniently be turned about; failing this, an ordinary board or inverted plate can be made to answer. As soon as the icing is spread on the cake it must be dried in an oven with the door open. It is sometimes found sufficient to keep the cake in a hot room for some hours. If too great heat is used the icing will crack.

ALMOND PASTE.

Blanch one pound of sweet and two ounces of bitter almonds, pound them in a mortar, adding a little rose-water as you go on, to prevent oiling; and when all the almonds are reduced to a perfectly smooth paste, mix them with an equal weight of icing sugar. Moisten the paste with a packet of Nelson's Albumen dissolved in three teaspoonfuls of cold water, and spread it evenly on the cake, allowing it to become dry and firm before spreading the icing over it. This paste can be used for making several kinds of cakes and sweetmeats, and without the Albumen can be kept in bottles for some time. Almond paste can be made from bitter almonds which have been infused in spirit to make an extract for flavouring, and in this case no sweet almonds will be required.