ICING
Take one pound of powdered or flour sugar (not the
common pulverized) and the whites of four eggs. Put
the sugar to the eggs before you beat it at all; then beat
till it is stiff. Spread it on the cake with a wet knife,
wetting it in cold water each time you use it. Set it in
front of the stove to dry, or in an oven with the least
particle of heat. The cake must be nearly cold. You
can flavor the icing with rose, orange, or lemon; if the
latter, add a very small portion of grated rind. It is
much nicer to add sugar to eggs before beating than
afterward.
CHOCOLATE ICING
To one pound of fine loaf sugar add half a pint of
cold water; boil over a brisk fire until the sugar, when
pressed with the fingers, presents the appearance of
strong glue; add six ounces of grated chocolate; flavor
with vanilla.
TO MAKE ICING FOR CAKES
Beat the whites of two eggs to a froth, then add to
them a quarter of a pound of white sugar, ground fine
like flour; flavor with extract of lemon or vanilla; beat
it until it is light and very white, the longer it is beaten
the firmer it will become. No more sugar must be
added to make it so. Beat the frosting until it may be
spread smoothly on the cake. This quantity will ice
quite a large cake over the top and the sides.
FROSTING FOR CAKE
To each egg used take ten teaspoonfuls of finest powdered
sugar, and a teaspoonful of lemon extract. Beat
quickly, and allow at least five minutes for each spoonful
of sugar. The excellence of icing depends on the
purity of the powdered sugar and the rapidity of beating
given the eggs; it is much to be regretted that the
most of powdered sugar is adulterated with foreign
materials, especially with the white earth called “Terra
Alba,” which causes the sugar to harden like stone,
and prevents the cake and frosting from being, as it
should be, light and good.
BOILED ICING. VERY NICE
Boil until very thick, a pound of white sugar in a cup
of water. It should be as thick as for candy; when
boiled, pour it gently on the beaten whites of three
eggs. Beat this rapidly until well mixed with the eggs,
then flour the cake with flour or corn starch, and ice it
with a knife in the usual way. You must use flavoring
to suit your taste. Much of the perfection of icing
depends on the quality of the sugar, which should be
pure and ground, not pulverized, as that sugar is now
often adulterated.
HOT BOILED ICING FOR CAKE
Dissolve one pint of powdered sugar in two large
tablespoonfuls of water (or three if the spoon is
small); set it on the fire to boil. While this syrup is
heating on the stove, beat the whites of four eggs to
a strong froth, take off the boiling syrup, and beat it
to the white of eggs, holding it high over the pans, and
pouring it in a stream on the eggs; then flavor with
lemon, or vanilla, and spread it on the cake, while the
icing is warm; set the cake for a few moments in the
oven to harden the icing, it is then ready for the table.
CHARLOTTE RUSSE
Boil one ounce of isinglass or gelatine, in one and a
half pints of milk, sweeten it with half a pound of white
sugar, and beat in the yolks of six eggs; flavor it with
vanilla. When this mixture begins to stiffen as it grows
cold, stir into it one pint of cream whipped to a froth.
Ornament the glass dish it is to be served in, with
strips of sponge cake, and pour the Charlotte Russe
in. Set it in a cool place until wanted.
SPLENDID FRUIT CAKE
One pound of butter washed and creamed, one and
one-fourth pounds of white sifted sugar, creamed with
the butter; add the yolks, beaten lightly, alternately,
with the whites beaten to a stiff froth, of twelve eggs;
stir in carefully a pound of sifted flour. The day before,
wash and dry two pounds of currants, pick and
seed two pounds of large raisins, and slice one pound
of citron. Pour all this fruit into a large pan, and
dredge it well with a quarter of a pound of sifted flour;
stir all well into the butter, add a grated nutmeg, a
glass of wine, and the same of brandy. Bake in a large
cake mould very carefully, four hours. It is safer to
have it baked by a confectioner, if it is convenient to
do so.
NICE FAMILY CAKE WITH FRUIT
Three cups of fine sugar, two cups of butter, five cups
of sifted flour, half a pound of chopped raisins, and
half a pound of dried currants; flavor with brandy, and
nutmeg, or extract of nutmeg, or lemon. Put the same
flavor in the frosting, if the cake is to be used for special
occasions.
CHEAP FRUIT CAKE
To one quart of sifted flour, add a teacupful of sugar,
half a cup of butter, one cupful of raisins, two teaspoonfuls
of cream of tartar, and one of soda, two tablespoonfuls
of mixed spices; rub thoroughly together the
flour, cream of tartar, soda and butter, stir in sufficient
cold water to make a stiff batter, then add the spices
and raisins; pour it into a small tin pan, bake one hour.
WISCONSIN FRUIT CAKE
Take three quarters of a pound of raw salt, fat pork,
chopped very fine; then pour on a pint of boiling water,
one cup of sugar, two cups of molasses, two teaspoonfuls
of cloves, one of cinnamon, one nutmeg, two teaspoonfuls
of saleratus, one pound and a half of raisins,
also a pound of citron and currants if liked, and flour
as stiff as can be stirred; bake very slowly an hour, or
longer if necessary, as it will burn without great care.
This will make three loaves, and will keep well. This
is convenient in the winter when eggs are scarce.
NOUGAT FRUIT CAKE
Make the batter the same as for fruit cake, but instead
of the same quantity of fruit, add two pounds of
seedless raisins, one pound of citron, one of blanched
and cut almonds, and one pound of grated cocoanut.
Pour over the cocoanut a cup of sweet milk. Add the
wine, brandy and nutmeg. This is much admired. It
is an experiment of my own, and has been very much
in request.
RICH WEDDING CAKE, OR BLACK CAKE
One pound of flour, nine eggs, the whites and yolks
beaten separately, one pound of butter beaten to a
cream, one pound of brown sugar, one teacupful of
molasses, one ounce of grated nutmeg or ground mace,
one teaspoonful of ground allspice, one teaspoonful of
cinnamon, and a gill of brandy; beat this mixture well.
Having picked, washed, and dried three pounds of currants,
stone and cut three pounds of raisins, strew half
a pound of flour over them, mix it well through, and stir
them with a pound of citron, cut in slips, into the cake.
Line tin pans with buttered paper, put the mixture in,
an inch and a half or two inches deep, and bake in a
moderate oven an hour and a half or two hours. Ice
according to directions.
BRIDE’S CAKE. A SPLENDID RECIPE
Take three-fourths of a pound of butter, wash and
cream it, add one pound of white sugar; beat them well
together, then add the beaten whites of seventeen eggs,
alternately with a pound of sifted flour. Flavor with
lemon or rose, and bake. This is a most delicious and
delicate cake.
RICH BRIDE’S CAKE
Take four pounds of sifted flour, four pounds of
sweet fresh butter, beaten to a cream, and two pounds
of white powdered sugar; take six eggs for every pound
of flour, an ounce of ground mace or nutmeg, and a
tablespoonful of lemon extract or orange-flower water.
Wash through several waters, and pick clean from grit,
four pounds of currants, and spread them on a folded
cloth to dry; stone and cut in two, four pounds of
raisins, cut two pounds of citron in slips, and chop or
slice one pound of blanched almonds.
Beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar to a smooth
paste; beat the butter and flour together, and add them
to the yolks and sugar; then add the spice and half a
pint of brandy, and the whites of the eggs beaten to a
froth; stir all together for some time; strew half
a pound of flour over the fruit, mix it through, then,
by degrees stir it into the cake.
Butter large tin basins, line them with white paper,
and put in the mixture two inches deep, and bake in a
moderate oven two hours. The fruit should be prepared
the day before making the cake.
CHEAP JELLY CAKE
One cup of fine white sugar, one cup of milk or water,
two tablespoonfuls of butter, one egg, two cups of flour,
one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and one-half teaspoonful
of carbonate soda; flavor with nutmeg or
lemon. It is best with plum or currant jelly.
DELICIOUS POUND CAKE
Cream three quarters of a pound of butter, sift a
pound of flour gradually into it, and cream them together.
Beat the yolks of nine eggs light in another
pan; stir into the eggs a pound of sifted sugar, mix
well; beat the whites of twelve eggs to a froth, add them
to the yolks and sugar, then pour this into the pan containing
the butter and flour; beat all well together; add
a little brandy or wine, and nutmeg. Bake carefully in
a large pan. Do not have the oven hotter on the top
than at the bottom, for the cake must be allowed to
rise. Then bake from the bottom. This is a superior
way of making cake, and if properly baked is delicious.
MAIZENA CAKE
Half a pound of butter rubbed to a cream with one
pound of powdered sugar, six eggs beaten lightly and
one pound of corn starch. Flavor and bake in small
patty pans.
A GENERAL RULE FOR MAKING SPONGE CAKE
Take of sugar the weight of the eggs used, and half
the weight of flour; beat the yolks and sugar together,
then add the flour, and, lastly, the whites, having first
beaten them to a high froth; then stir them thoroughly
together, put into a paper-lined basin, or pan, and bake
in a quick oven. The cake may be flavored with lemon,
rose, or vanilla extracts, and a little nutmeg, or with a
little brandy. Pounded almonds or grated cocoanut,
may be added to sponge cake mixture.
BOILED SPONGE CAKE
Put three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar in a stew
pan with nearly half a pint of water, and the peel of a
lemon cut very thin; let it simmer twenty minutes.
Beat the yolks of eight eggs, and the whites of four, for
ten minutes; then pour in the boiling syrup, and beat it
well for half an hour. Have your cake pan well greased
and a paper in the bottom. Stir gently into the mixture
⅝ of a pound (which is ten ounces) of sifted flour;
pour the batter immediately into the pan, and bake in
a rather quick oven about half an hour. Have the oven
in baking order before you put the flour in, as sponge
cake will be tough if it is not baked immediately the
flour is added, and it should not be beaten after the
flour is stirred in. This is one secret of having fine
light sponge cake.
JENNY’S SPONGE CAKE
Beat ten eggs separately, put the yellow with a
pound of sifted fine sugar in a bowl; beat it again very
light, and then put in the whites; last of all stir in half
a pound of flour, but do not beat the batter after the
flour is stirred in. Flavor with lemon or orange-flower
water. Pour the mixture into pans lined with buttered
paper, and do not place more than one and a half
inches of batter in each pan. Bake twenty minutes.
If the oven is too hot, be sure and cover the top of the
pans with a paper or pasteboard, to prevent scorching.
WHITE SPONGE CAKE
The whites of ten eggs, beaten to a froth; one tumbler
of sifted flour, one and a half tumblers of sifted
white sugar, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar,
and a pinch of salt; stir the cream of tartar and salt
well into the flour. Add the sugar to the whites first,
then last of all stir in the flour very lightly, and flavor
with any delicate extract, and bake immediately. No
soda required.
SPONGE GINGER BREAD
One cup of sour milk, one cup of molasses, one-half
cup of butter, two eggs, one and a half teaspoons of
saleratus, one tablespoonful of ginger. Flour to make
as thick as pound cake. Warm the butter, molasses
and ginger, then add the milk, flour and saleratus, and
bake as quickly as you can.
GINGER SNAPS
One cup of butter and lard mixed, one cup of sugar,
one cup of molasses, half a cup of water, one tablespoonful
of ginger, one teaspoonful of soda in hot
water, flour enough to roll the dough soft.
GINGER-NUTS
Take three pounds of flour, one pound of butter, one
quart of molasses, four tablespoonfuls of allspice, the
same quantity of cinnamon, and eight tablespoonfuls
of ground ginger. Roll thin, cut out in the shape of
the small ginger-nuts sold at the confectioners’, and
bake in a rather quick oven.
ANOTHER RECIPE
Take two cupfuls of butter, the same quantity of
molasses, one cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of
ginger, four of cream, one teaspoonful of soda, one-half
an ounce of cinnamon, and about one and a half
pounds of flour—or enough to make a stiff dough.
Roll, cut, and bake in a moderate oven.
TEA CAKES. CHEAP AND NICE. NO EGGS
One cup of butter or a large spoonful of lard, two
cups of sugar, one cup of sour milk, one teaspoonful
of soda, some grated orange peel or nutmeg; flour
enough to roll out. Roll very thin; cut with fancy
cutters, and bake in a quick oven. If you use lard, add
a pinch of salt.
PORTUGAL CAKE
Make a batter with half a pound of butter, one
pound of sugar, one pound of flour, and six eggs, two
tablespoonfuls of lemon juice or white wine. Add one
pound of seeded raisins, or citron, dredged with a
little of the flour; one and a half pounds of blanched
almonds cut fine, and one grated nutmeg.
CHEAP WHITE CAKES. FOR TEA
Take half a pound of sifted flour, rub into it one
ounce of butter, and a quarter of a pound of fine
sugar; add one egg, half a teaspoonful of caraway
seeds, and as much milk as will make it a paste; roll
it out to quarter-of-an-inch in thickness, or thinner;
cut it in small round cakes, and bake on tin plates, in
a quick oven, ten or twelve minutes.
LADY CAKE
One pound of flour; 1 pound of sugar; ⅝ of a pound
of butter; whites of 17 eggs; 2 or 3 drops of oil of bitter
almonds. Cream the well-washed butter; add the
sugar and cream again; alternate the whites with
flour; flavor last of all. The confectioners nearly
always bake in a square or long pan.
YELLOW LADY CAKE
Take a pound of fine white sugar, with half a pound
of butter beaten to a cream; the yolks of eight eggs
beaten smooth and thick; one cup of sweet milk, a
small teaspoonful of powdered volatile salts or saleratus,
dissolved in a little hot water; half a nutmeg
grated; a teaspoonful of lemon extract, or orange-flower
water, and as much sifted flour as will make it
as thick as pound-cake batter. Beat it until it is light
and creamy; then having taken off the skins, and
beaten to a paste, a quarter of a pound of shelled
almonds, stir them into the cake, and beat well. Line
buttered tin pans, with white paper; put in the mixture
an inch deep, and bake half an hour in a quick
oven, or forty minutes in a moderate oven. This is a
delicious cake.
WHITE LADY CAKE
Beat the whites of eight eggs to a high froth, add
gradually a pound of white sugar finely ground; beat
a quarter of a pound of butter to a cream; add a teacupful
of sweet milk with a small teaspoonful of powdered
volatile salts or saleratus dissolved in it; put
the eggs to the butter and milk, add as much sifted
flour as will make it as thick as pound-cake mixture;
add a teaspoonful of orange-flower water or lemon
extract, then add a quarter of a pound of shelled
almonds, blanched and beaten to a paste with a little
white of egg; beat the whole together until light and
white; line a square tin pan with buttered paper, put
in the mixture an inch deep, and bake half an hour in
a quick oven. When done take it from the pan, when
cold take the paper off, turn it upside down on the
bottom of the pan and ice the side which was down;
when the icing is nearly hard, mark it in slices the
width of a finger, and two inches and a half long.
ISABELLA CAKE
Two cups of butter, four cups of sugar, sixteen eggs,
six cups of sifted flour, two teaspoonfuls of yeast
powder. Cream the butter and sugar together; add
the beaten yolks, then alternately the flour and the
beaten whites. Put the yeast powder in the flour.
Flavor with vanilla or lemon. Bake carefully in a
four-quart cake mould, the bottom and sides of which
you have well oiled. Always lay paper in the bottom
before oiling, as it prevents the cake from burning
and sticking to the pan. This cake is delicious, finished
with a chocolate icing.
A NICE CUP-CAKE RICH ENOUGH FOR ANY COMPANY
Take one cup of butter and three of sugar; work
this to a cream. Beat five eggs separately; then stir
in five cups of sifted flour; add a cup of sour cream
and a teaspoonful of soda; flavor with a glass of wine
and a little nutmeg. Bake in a quick oven in round
tins, and ice while it is warm.
CUP CAKES
One cup of butter, three cups of sugar, five cups of
flour, one cup of milk, three eggs, one teaspoonful of
soda, a little brandy.
TEACUP CAKE WITHOUT EGGS
One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup of sour
cream, or thick milk, a teaspoonful of saleratus dissolved
in hot water, a gill of brandy, half a grated nutmeg,
a teaspoonful of essence of lemon, or the yellow
rind of a grated lemon; stir in flour until the batter is
as thick as pound cake, and bake an inch deep in a
buttered basin.
LITTLE JESSIE’S CAKE
Two cups of fine sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of
sweet milk, four cups of flour, six eggs. Flavor with
a glass of wine or brandy, with a nutmeg grated into
it. Add a cup of currants.
NICE AND CHEAP JUMBLES. NO EGGS
One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup of
clabber, a teaspoonful of soda stirred into the clabber,
a little grated orange or lemon peel, and a good quart
of sifted flour. Roll it, and cut in rounds with a hole
in the middle, and bake in a quick oven. If you wish,
sprinkle sugar over them, and stick strips of citron in
each cake when you place them in the baking pan.
They are quite nice. Instead of clabber, you can use
sweet milk and yeast powder in the flour.
MARBLE CAKE—WHITE PART
Whites of four eggs, one cup of white sugar, half a
cup of butter, half a cup of sweet milk, one teaspoonful
of cream tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda.
MARBLE CAKE—BLACK PART.
Yolks of four eggs, one cup of brown sugar, half a
cup of molasses, half a cup butter, half a cup of sour
milk, one teaspoonful of soda, and plenty of all kinds
of spices to suit the taste. Put first black, then white,
dough, until all is in; then bake. It is very nice.
FRENCH LOAF CAKE
Five cups of sugar, three of butter, two of milk, ten
of sifted flour, six eggs, three small nutmegs, one teaspoonful
of saleratus, one pound of raisins, and one-third
of a pound of citron. Stir the butter and sugar
to a cream, then add part of the flour, the milk and the
beaten yolks of the eggs, then add the rest of the flour
and the whites of the eggs; add the fruit as you get
the cake ready for the oven; season to taste. This will
make four loaves. Bake one hour.
LOAF CAKE. PLAIN
Three cups of sweet milk, two of sugar, and one of
yeast; stir in flour to make it quite thick, and let it rise
over night. In the morning add two eggs well beaten,
fruit and spice to taste; let it rise till light. Bake in
a slow oven.
EGG KISSES
Four whites of eggs, one-half pound powdered
sugar; beat well and bake quickly. Flavor with extract
of rose or lemon.
GENOESE CAKES
Half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, four
eggs, half a pound of flour, a small glass of brandy or
wine. Bake in a square sheet; ice it and cut into diamonds;
ornament with dots or stripes of any kind of
bright jelly or preserves.
FRANCATELLI’S SPANISH CAKE
Put half a pint of milk or water into a stew-pan over
the fire, with four ounces of butter and two ounces of
sugar. As soon as these begin to boil, withdraw the
stew-pan from the fire, and stir in five ounces of flour.
Stir well for a few minutes, add essence to taste, and,
one by one, three eggs and a small pinch of soda.
Drop this paste on a baking-sheet in small round balls
(the size of a hickory nut), and bake a light brown in
a quick oven. Garnish with preserves.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Half a pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one
pound of flour, four eggs, one half pint of milk, one
teaspoonful of soda, and two of cream of tartar sifted
into the flour. Mix all these ingredients well together,
and bake in two cakes. Beat three whites of eggs with
three cups of sifted sugar, and add chocolate to taste.
Spread a layer of this icing between the cakes and on
the top and sides.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Take one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup
of milk or water, three and a half cups of flour, half a
teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful cream of tartar,
the yolks of five eggs and the whites of two. Bake on
jelly cake tins.
CHOCOLATE MIXTURE FOR FILLING THE ABOVE CAKE
One and a half cups of sugar, the whites of three
eggs, three tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate. Flavor
with vanilla.
RING JUMBLES
One pound of butter, one pound of sugar, four eggs,
one and a quarter pounds of flour, or enough to make
a soft dough. Line a pan with buttered paper, form
the dough into rings. Bake quickly and sift sugar
over them.
The dough must be kept very soft, or if not wanted
in rings, put in more flour, and cut the cakes out with
a cutter.
GERMAN LADIES FINGERS
Beat the yolks of five eggs with half a pound of
sugar. Add half a pound of blanched almonds, cut
fine or pounded. Grate the rind of a lemon, mix well,
and add gradually enough sifted flour to make into a
dough. Roll out and cut in strips the length and size
of the forefinger; wet them with the beaten white of
two eggs, and bake.
LADY FINGERS
Four eggs, half a pound of sugar, half a pound of
flour. Flavor to taste. Drop by teaspoonfuls, and
bake quickly.
CITRON CAKE
One pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound
of flour, and eight eggs. Add to this batter one pound
of blanched almonds, cut small, and half a pound of
sliced citron dredged with flour; beat all up well. Beat
in a half teaspoonful of soda, moistened with sweet
milk, or if preferred, a tablespoonful of yeast powder,
rubbed in the flour before mixing. Beat this mixture
well, and bake it in a cake-pan; put buttered paper in
the bottom of the pan, and cover the top of the cake
with something to protect it from the heat of the
stove, until the bottom is nearly done. This is the best
way to cook all delicate cakes.
LOUISIANA HARD-TIMES CAKE
Cream half a pound of butter, with one pound of
sifted sugar. Add to this the beaten yolks of six eggs.
Beat this again, and set it by until you beat the whites
of the eggs to a stiff froth. Sift a pound of flour, and
put into it two teaspoonfuls of yeast powder. Then
pour in alternately a little flour and beaten eggs until
all is used. Then mix in a cup of cold water and two
teaspoonfuls of brandy, wine or extract of lemon. Butter
a four-quart cake-pan or mould, have the oven
ready, and pour in the mixture, and bake immediately.
Cover the top of the cake while baking. When done
you will have a nice cake, and one that is very inexpensive.
INDIAN BREAKFAST CAKES
Take a quart of milk scalding hot; stir into it as
much corn-meal as will make a thick batter, add of
salt and saleratus in fine powder, each a teaspoonful,
and when a little cooled, two well-beaten eggs; bake
in buttered pans, in a quick oven. This is a nice breakfast
cake.
DELICATE CAKE OF CORN STARCH
Take half a pound of sugar, one-fourth of a pound of
butter, the whites of eight eggs, and a quarter of a
pound of corn starch mixed with quarter of a pound of
common flour. Beat all very light, add to the flour a
teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and a half-spoon of
fine soda (not saleratus). Flavor with lemon or rose.
SODA TEACAKES WITHOUT EGGS
Take half a pound of sugar, and half a pound of
butter; beat it to a cream. Dissolve a teaspoonful of
fine soda in a cup of milk, and pour it into the batter,
half a nutmeg and flour to make a staff batter. Bake
in tin squares or a shallow pan, cook twenty minutes.
A VERY GOOD CHEAP CAKE
One cup of butter, one and a half cups of brown
sugar, one cup of milk, sweet or sour, yeast powder
or soda—if yeast powder is used, put two teaspoonfuls;
if soda, put one heaping teaspoonful—one cup
of molasses, four eggs, one nutmeg, one pound of
raisins, five cups of flour.
TRIFLES
Beat two or three fresh eggs a few minutes, add a
saltspoonful of salt, and enough of sifted flour to make
into a stiff paste; roll very thin; cut into small round
cakes; fry in boiling lard, and sprinkle sugar over
them. They are a delicious dish for tea.
A NICE MOLASSES CAKE
One cup of molasses, one and a half cups of sugar,
one cup of butter, four eggs, a cup of sour milk and
heaping-spoonful of soda. If desirable, you may add
one pound of seeded and chopped raisins, or the same
of currants; grease the pan carefully as molasses cake
is liable to stick, and is always more difficult to get
out of the pan than sugar cakes. You may add flour
to roll it out like biscuit if you wish, or it is better
made only as thick as pound-cake batter, and baked in
a pan like that cake. Make the batter stiff with flour,
as it turns out better than when soft.
SILVER CAKE
Cream two coffee-cups of butter with two pints of
fine white sugar; add the beaten whites of eighteen
eggs, and four pints of flour—one of these pints must
be maizena or corn starch flour, as that gives a delicacy
which common wheat flour cannot. You must thin this
mixture gradually as you beat in the flour and eggs, by
pouring in two coffee-cups of water. Flavor with
almond, and bake in a large pan. When you sift the
flour you must add to it two teaspoonfuls of yeast
powder.
SILVER CAKE
Two pints of sugar and two cups of butter; cream
the butter and sugar together. Add two cups of cold
water; beat to a froth the whites of eighteen eggs, mix
them with the butter and sugar, four pints of flour, and
two teaspoonfuls of yeast powder; mix flour and yeast
powder together, and stir gently into the batter. Flavor
with almond. For a small cake take half the quantity
of ingredients. It makes a nicer cake to allow one of
the pints of flour to be corn starch, instead of common
flour.
SUPERIOR GOLD CAKE
Take half a pound of butter, one pound of sugar,
one pound of flour, the yolks of ten eggs, one teaspoonful
of soda mixed with a little hot water. Cream the
butter and sugar together; beat the eggs light, and add
them to the butter and sugar. Then stir in the flour
and soda.
CHEAP AND RELIABLE GOLD AND SILVER CAKE
Two cups of butter and four of sugar creamed together,
two cups of sweet milk, or water, if you have
no milk; eight cups of sifted flour well mixed with four
teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, and two of soda; beat
separately the yolks and whites of eight eggs. Take
half the batter; use the yolks for the gold cake, and
the whites for the silver cake. Flavor differently, as
with rose and lemon.
SUPERIOR SILVER CAKE
Take half a pound of butter, one pound of sugar,
three-quarters of a pound of flour, the whites of ten
eggs beaten to a froth. Cream the butter and sugar
together, then add the eggs, and lastly, stir in the flour.
COCOANUT SILVER CAKE
Cream one cup of butter and two cups of sugar, add
a cup of milk, the whites of six eggs, and three cups of
sifted flour with one teaspoonful of cream of tartar,
and half a teaspoonful of soda mixed in the flour. Grate
a small cocoanut, dry it in a skillet over the fire by
stirring it about ten minutes. Stir the cocoanut into
the batter. Bake in a moderate oven about three-quarters
of an hour.
COCOANUT CAKES
Grate a cocoanut, place it in a skillet over the fire,
and stir until it is as dry as flour. Beat one cup of
sugar and the white of an egg to a froth. Mix well,
and make into small cakes; put them on buttered paper
and bake. The oven should not be very hot.
COCOANUT CAKES
Take a cocoanut, pare it and grate half a pound;
allow the same quantity of loaf sugar. Dissolve the
sugar in two tablespoonfuls of water, place it on the
fire; when the syrup is boiling hot, stir in the cocoanut.
Continue to stir it until it is thick like candy, then pour
it out on a buttered pan, and cut it across in shapes,
or use a round cake cutter.
COCOANUT POUND CAKE
Take three coffee-cupfuls of flour, one of butter, and
two of white sugar; one cupful of milk; the whites of
six eggs; one teaspoonful of cream of tartar; one-half
teaspoonful of carbonate of soda; grated cocoanut—a
small one. The cocoanut should be laid in water as
soon as the shell is broken; take out a piece at a time
to pare it; lay it in a dry cloth as soon as pared, and
cover it up, that the air may be kept out and the moisture
absorbed. If the cocoanut goes in wet it will make
the cake heavy. Cream the butter; add the sugar, and
beat well; then put in the milk, slowly; the whites of
the eggs, well beaten, alternately with flour; the cocoanut
last of all. One-half of this quantity makes a
good-sized cake. Bake in a moderate oven; increase
the heat at the last. It takes about one-half or three-quarters
of an hour to bake.
COCOANUT CAKE
Make a batter of one cup of butter, two cups of
sugar, three cups of flour and four eggs. Bake in jelly
cake pans. Spread a layer of icing between each cake
with grated cocoanut on top of the icing; finally, ornament
the top with a thick layer of cocoanut.
COCOANUT DROPS
Take a grated cocoanut, the beaten whites of four
eggs, and half a pound of white sugar; flavor, mix, and
bake on paper in drops.
PECAN CAKE
Half a cup of butter, one and one-half cups of sugar,
two eggs, three-quarters of a cup of sweet milk, two
cups of sifted flour, one and one-half teaspoonfuls of
soda, and one teaspoonful of cream of tartar in the
flour, one cup of pecans picked out and cut fine. Bake
in a small cake pan.
WINE CAKES
One-quarter pound of butter, one-half pound of
sugar, one egg, a few drops of essence of lemon, and a
good half pound of flour. Mix, roll thin, and cut out
in round cakes. They are very nice with wine.
NAPLES BISCUIT
Beat four eggs light; add half a pound of fine white
sugar, and half a pound of sifted flour. Flavor with
essence of lemon.
SHREWSBURY CAKE
Beat to a cream half a pound of butter, and three-quarters
of a pound of sugar; add five well beaten eggs,
a nutmeg, some essence, and about a quart of flour.
Sift the flour, mix it well, and drop the mixture with
a spoon on buttered tins. Add currants if you wish.
COFFEE CAKE
One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup of
molasses, one cup of strong coffee, two eggs, five cups
of flour, one teaspoonful of soda, one cup of currants,
one cup of raisins. Spice to taste.
NICE DROP CAKES
One-half pound sugar, one-quarter pound of butter
creamed together, four well beaten eggs, one-half pound
of currants, a spoonful of brandy, grated nutmeg or
lemon peel, and flour sufficient for a stiff batter. Beat
well. Drop by spoonfuls on buttered tins and bake in
a quick oven. They are light and tender.
DIAMOND BACHELORS
Biscuit dough rolled thin, cut into diamonds and
boiled in lard. Ladies are very fond of them.
VELVET CAKE
One cup of yeast, three eggs well beaten, one quart
of warm milk, one quart of sifted flour, salt, a large
spoonful of butter well beaten; let it rise. Pour into
greased muffin rings and bake.
DELICATE CAKE
Two eggs, two cups of sugar, half a cup of butter,
one cup of sweet milk, three cups of flour, one teaspoonful
of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda.
Bake in squares.
LITTLE DROP CAKES
Half a pound of sugar, four eggs, half a pound of
flour; quarter of a pound of butter.
CREAM CAKES
Boil a cup of butter with a half pint of water; while
it is boiling, stir in two cups of sifted flour; let it cool,
and when cool, add five eggs well beaten, and a quarter
of a spoonful of soda dry. Drop this mixture with a
teaspoon on tins and bake in a quick oven.
FOR THE INSIDE OF THE CAKES
Take a pint of milk, one-half a cup of flour, one cup
of sugar and two eggs. Boil the milk and flour together,
add the eggs and sugar; flavor the custard with
lemon. Now, you must take the first or outside cakes,
and split each one gently, so as to place in it the cream
or custard, which must be cold before you introduce it.
Put into each cake about a teaspoonful of the cream.
These are delicious. One-half this quantity makes a
large dishful of cakes.
ANOTHER CREAM CAKE WITH CRUST AND CREAM
Crust.—Three-quarter pint of water, half a pint of
butter, three-quarters of a pound of flour, eight eggs,
boil the water and butter together, and while boiling
stir in the flour, take it off and let it cool, then add
your eggs (beaten separately), and a teaspoonful of
dry soda. Use about a spoonful of the crust for each
puff; bake on tins for about twenty minutes. When
done cut the crust open and put in the cream.
Cream.—Two pints of milk, one cup of flour, two
cups of sugar, four eggs; while the milk is boiling add
your flour, sugar and eggs (previously well beaten together),
let it cook until it begins to thicken, take it
off, and flavor with rose water.
TIPSY CAKE
Place a sponge cake weighing about a pound in a
glass bowl, pour over it half a pint of sherry and
Madeira (mixed). Make a rich custard of six eggs
and a quart of milk, sweeten to taste, flavor and let it
cool. Blanch half a pound of almonds, stick them in
the top of the sponge cake and pour over it the custard.
PLAIN TEA CAKES
Half a cup of butter, or a large spoonful of lard, one
and a half cups of sugar, one teacupful of milk, one
teaspoonful of soda, seven cupfuls of sifted flour. Roll
thin.
EASY CAKE FOR YOUNG COOKS
Take two cups of flour, sift it and to each cup put a
teaspoonful of yeast powder. Beat the yolks of three
eggs and one cup of fine white sugar, together with
half a cup of water mixed with extract or wine; beat
this well in the yolks and sugar (only half a cup);
froth up the whites of the eggs, add them, and last of
all, beat in the flour with the powder in it. Bake
quickly in square or jelly cake pans.
YOUNG COOKS’ JELLY ROLL
Make the sponge for your jelly roll by taking a cup
of white sugar, one cup of flour, and three eggs. Mix,
etc.; add baking powder with the flour. Bake in a
stewpan with a quick fire; turn the cake out on a towel
when done; spread the jelly while it is still warm and
soft, and roll it carefully. Cut it in slices when cold;
a spoonful of water beaten with the eggs makes the
cake lighter, as it breaks the tissue of the eggs if it is
added to them when beaten up.
ALMOND DROPS
Blanch and pound five ounces of sweet, and three
ounces of bitter almonds (or peach kernels), with a
little white of egg. Put half a pound of sifted flour on
your dough board, make a hole in the middle of the
flour, in which put the almonds, with a pound of sugar,
four yolks of eggs, and a little salt. Make into a paste.
Cut in pieces the size of a nut, lay them half an inch
apart, on sheets of paper, in a baking-pan, and bake
in a moderate oven for fifteen or twenty minutes.
ALMOND MACAROONS
Blanch and pound with a little rose-water half a
pound of almonds; add half a pound of sifted sugar,
the whites of two eggs (not beaten), form into a paste.
Dip your hand in water, and roll the preparation into
balls the size of a nutmeg; lay them an inch apart, on
buttered paper, in a baking tin. Bake in a slow oven
until a light brown.
ALMOND MACAROONS
To a pound of the best white sugar, sifted, add a
pound of blanched almonds; put in a few drops of rose-water
as you beat them together in a mortar. Add to
them the well-beaten whites of six eggs, and form the
paste into shapes in the palm of the hand by using a
little flour; butter some sheets of white paper, and
drop the macaroons on it, leaving a space between
them. Strew a little white sugar on them, and put in
the oven to bake a light brown. Almonds are blanched
by pouring hot water on them, and slipping off the
brown coating.