Cakes, Cookies and Confections/Cakes

by The California Home Economics Association

Cakes

General Directions

Since perfection in the completed cake does not depend alone on the ingredients and their proper proportions, it is advisable that all who use this booklet read the following suggestions:

Utensils

A few well selected pieces of equipment are absolutely necessary to the best success of these recipes. It is true that edible cakes and cookies can be obtained with the make shift of the average kitchen, but not the successful product intended.

To insure success and enjoyment while working you should own the following:

Standard tablespoon (16 to 1 cup).

Standard teaspoon (3 to 1 tbsp).

Wooden spoon for mixing.

Steel case knife for removing baked cakes. (Spatula not best for this.)

Glass measuring cup.

Aluminum measuring cup.

Egg whip or wire whisk.

Egg beater of the wheel or Dover type (Not a cheap one.)

Crockery bowls.

Limber spatula to remove cake matter. (Not necessary, but a great convenience.)

Flour sifter.

Cake rack on which to cool cakes, bread, etc. The wire shelf of the refrigerator is a good substitute.

"Turk's Head" cake pan for large cakes, as fruit or sponge. (Has hole in center.)

Tin or aluminum cake pan about 7x11x2 inches. (Suitable for cakes of the "Novelty type.")

Square cake pan with removable bottom.

Loaf cake pan about 4x8x3 inches.

Layer cake pans.

Russian iron or aluminum cookie sheet.

Oven thermometer.

Pair of scissors for cutting fruit, marshmallows, etc.

Brush for oiling pan, though a piece of clean paper may be used.

Double boiler, one quart size.

Collect all ingredients and utensils before starting the cake.

Abbreviations

tsp.—teaspoon.

tbsp.—tablespoon.

c.—cup.

lb.—pound.

pt.—pint.

oz.—ounce.

Equivalents

All measurements are leveled by knife moved forward at right angles to spoon or cup. Do not pack. Four is sifted once before measuring. Use no favorite "coffee" or "tea" cups or dessert spoons!

3 tsp. equals 1 tbsp.

16 tbsp. equals 1 cup.

(When measuring molasses, sour milk, or other liquids and fat, always remove surplus clinging to spoon before calling it a measured table spoon.)

2 c. liquid equals 1 pt.

2 c. sugar equals 1 lb.

2 c. fat equals 1 lb.

4 c. flour equals 1 lb.

16 oz. equals 1 lb.

Mixing

With the exception of true sponge, cakes depend for their lightness upon the gas generated when the baking powder combines with liquid ingredients. Therefore do not beat the batter any longer than to thoroughly mix it, or the gas will be lost and a heavy, compact mass results. A better method is to reserve two tablespoons of the flour and sift it with the baking powder into the well beaten batter before the whites are folded in. Long beating before addition of the leavener tends to make a more even grained texture.

Flour

To obtain a fine even texture, use one of the especially prepared cake flours on the market, or make your own pastry flour by substituting two tablespoons of cornstarch for two of flour in each cup of sifted flour. This always gives better results than bread flour though the cake dries out more readily.

Effects of Various Ingredients

In making an untested recipe for the first time it is interesting to know that:

1. If the cake has a gummy surface with a tendency to fall, an excess of sugar was used.

2. If there are heavy streaks and a friable crumb, too much fat was used.

3. A dry, bready cake is the result of too much flour.

4. An excess of baking powder makes a porous cake which falls easily.

5. An excess of egg gives tendency to toughness and produces "tunnels."

Baking

If all else has been observed and the cake is carelessly baked, failure is usually the reward. One should learn the good and bad points of the oven used and act accordingly.

The cake is usually placed in the center of the oven. A large square of asbestos insures against burning on the bottom. The top shelf of the oven is used for browning.

An over thermometer, purchasable for a small sum, does away with guess work if one records results of each baking.

Temperatures

(Table given in Bulletin No. 8. Good House-keeping Series.)

Plain Cake (sheet or cup)—375°F.—30 minutes.
Plain Cake (loaf)—350°F—45 minutes.
Plain Cake (layer)—375°F.—20 minutes.
Fruit Cake( cheap)—235°F.—1¼ hours. Fruit Cake (very large)—275°F.—3 to 4 hours.
Sponge Cake—320°—1 hour.
Angel Cake—320°F.—1 hour.
Baking Powder Biscuit—450°F. 12 to 15 min.
Muffins—400°F.—25 minutes.
Corn Cake—400°F. 20 to 25 minutes.
Pop-Overs—450°F. 30 min., and 350°F. 15 min.
Gingerbread—325°F.—45 minutes.
Bread 350°F.—45 minutes to one hour.
Biscuits (yeast)—400°F. 425°F.—20 minutes.
Rolled Vanilla Cookies—450°F.—10 minutes.
Filled Cookies—450°F. 11 minutes.
Drop Bran Cookies—425°F.—12 minutes.
Soft Molasses Cookies—375°F.—18 minutes.
Ginger Snaps—350°F.—7 minutes.

Tests When Done

A cake may be tested in three ways :

a. When it shrinks from the sides of the pan.

b. When a straw inserted comes out without any dough adhering.

c. When lightly touched the dent does not remain.

Leave sponge cakes in pan till cold. Other cakes may be removed to cake rack to cool.
All cakes cut best with a wet knife.

CAKES WITH FAT

Two methods may be employed in mixing. Cake method of mixing:

1. Cream fat and sugar.
2. Add egg yolk well beaten.
3. Mix and sift dry ingredients and add alternately with liquid.

4. Fold in beaten whites.

Quick or Muffin method of mixing:

1. Soften fat and add to liquids.

2. Mix and sift dry ingredients.

3. Combine 1 and 2.

Both methods are satisfactory for plain cakes. Most butter cakes are a reduction or slight variation of the One, Two, Three, Four Cake, which consists of:

½ to 1 c. fat	3 c. flour
2 c. sugar	4 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs	1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. milk

This makes a satisfactory loaf or layer cake. Bakes to perfection as a loaf in fireless cooker in 1¼ hours with stones at 350°F.

Standard Proportions

6 tbsp. fat	1 ½ c. flour
1 c. sugar	2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs	1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. milk

Mix either method.

VARIATIONS

Boston Cream Pie

Bake in a thick layer in a round pan. Cut horizontally. Spread cream filling between and dust top with powdered sugar or flute it with meringue or whipped cream.

Chocolate Cake

Add two squares or 6 tablespoons of ground chocolate plus one tablespoon molasses.

Caramel Cake

Add ½ cup caramel syrup instead of milk. (Caramel syrup: Over a low fire melt ¼ cup sugar in small pan, stirring constantly. When sugar has turned to a light brown syrup, remove from fire. Add 1 cup boiling water and cook to a syrup consistency.)

Date Cake

Add ½ cup chopped dates, mixed with dry ingredients.

Marble Cake

Make part plain and part chocolate and alternate by spoonfuls when putting into pan, drawing tip of spoon back and forth through each color.

Mocha Cake

Flavor with coffee extract and use mocha filling.

Nut Cake

Add ⅓ cup chopped nuts.

Orange Cake

Bake in layers, using orange filling and frosting.

Raisin Cake

Add ⅓ cup raisins.

Spice Cake

Add coffee extract in place of milk and spices as desired.

CAKES WITHOUT FAT

Sponge Cake

True sponge cakes are leavened only with air incorporated into the beaten eggs.

The yolks are beaten well with a Dover type of beater.

The sugar is gradually beaten with a wooden spoon into the yolks. Add flavoring.

The whites are beaten only till stiff and folded carefully into the yolks and sugar.

Sift the flour once and measure it. Sift it several times and fold it into the mixture, taking great care not to beat.

Bake in a Turk's Head cake pan in a slow oven. Invert and leave till cold. The pan for sponge cake is not greased.

Standard Sponge Cake

6 eggs.

1 c. sugar sifted 5 times.

1 c. pastry flour sifted 5 times.

Grated rind and juice of one-half lemon.

SUGGESTED VARIATIONS

Jelly Roll

Bake in a thin sheet. Spread with jam or jelly and roll while hot.

Crescents

Cut with crescent cutter and ice with powdered sugar icing.

Lady Fingers

Shape with pastry tube.

EXCLUSIVE RECIPES
DARK CAKES

Devil's Food

½ c. shortening	2 eggs
2 c. sugar	2 ½ c. flour
2 sq. chocolate in 1 c. boiling water; let simmer 2 minutes	1 tsp. soda in ½ c. of very sour milk

Potato Torte

1 c. fat creamed	1 c. finely chopped walnuts
Gradually beat in 1 ½ c. sugar	Grated rind of 1 lemon
Add 3 beaten egg yolks	2 c. flour sifted with 3 tsp. baking powder and lastly 3 egg whites beaten light
1 c. cold riced potato (unseasoned)
¾ c. ground chocolate

Bake in loaf about 45 minutes or in 2 layers about 20 minutes. Excellent baked in Turk's Head pan and frosted with Seven minute Icing.

Potato Chocolate Cake

2 c. sugar	2 tsp. baking powder
⅔ c. fat	2 sq. chocolate
1 c. hot mashed potatoes (unseasoned)	1 c. chopped nuts
½ c. sweet milk or cold water or coffee	1 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. flour	1 tsp. cloves
½ tsp. nutmeg	4 eggs

Cream butter and sugar, add well beaten egg yolks. Add hot mashed potatoes, then alternately the flour, sifted with baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and milk. Add melted chocolate. Stir in nut meats and fold in stiffly beaten whites. Bake in two layers.

Mahogany Cake

I. 4 sq. bitter chocolate	½ c. milk
1 c. brown sugar	1 egg

Cook in double boiler till thick and creamy.

II. 1 c. brown sugar	½ c. milk or water
2 c. prepared cake or pastry flour sifted 3 times before measuring	2 eggs
½ c. fat	1 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder	1 tsp. vanilla

Mix by cake method, adding first mixture when cool.

Bake in two large or three medium layers. Put into very moderate oven, 200 to 250°, and increase gradually to 300 up to 350° until done. Use mocha filling or any other filling and icing.

Hazel Nut Torte

1 ½ c. sugar	1 ½ c. hazel nuts chopped fine (Walnuts may be used.)
9 eggs	1 c. cracker crumbs rolled very fine
½ tsp. mace	½ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla

Separate eggs. Beat the yolks with the sugar for thirty minutes, using wooden spoon. This continued beating and stirring dissolves the sugar and incorporates the needed air. Add cracker crumbs and spices. Beat egg whites stiff with whisk or whip type of beater. Fold in whites and vanilla. Butter a deep, square cake pan and pour in the batter. Bake in a slow oven for thirty minutes. Increase the heat to moderate for about twenty-five minutes more. Should be light and delicate in texture. Requires no icing, though melted sweet chocolate is sometimes spread over top.

Pomme de Terre Cake

2 c. sugar	½ tsp. soda
¾ c. fat	2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs	2 squares bitter chocolate (melted)
2½ c. flour	1 c. nuts
½ tsp. salt	1 c. raw grated potato
½ c. sour cream or milk	2 tsp. baking powder

Cream fat and sugar. Add sour cream and grated potato. Add flour sifted with baking powder and soda. Add nuts and melted chocolate.

Fold in the whites. Do not grate potato until ready to add to batter. Bake in a loaf. Cakes of this type are better after "ripening" twenty-four hours in a bread box.

Occidental Fudge Cake

¼ c. fat	1¼ c. flour
1 c. sugar	2½ tsp. baking powder
2 eggs	½ c. milk
2 sq. bitter chocolate	1 tsp. vanilla

Cream one-half of the sugar with the fat and one-half with the yolks. Combine, mix and sift dry ingredients. Add alternately to first mixture with milk. Fold in the beaten whites and then add the chocolate. Bake in a shallow pan 7x11 in. in a moderate oven for forty minutes. Cover with Reliable Frosting and when cold pour over this melted bitter chocolate.

Candy Cake

1 c. light brown sugar	1 lb. walnuts weighed in shell
1 c. dark brown sugar	1 tsp. baking powder
½ c. flour	2 eggs
⅓ tsp. salt	1 c. raisins

Mix well. Line a cake pan with heavy paper. Grease and flour this. Pour in the cake batter and bake very slowly, since it burns easily. Cut in squares. This is a good candy substitute for an afternoon or evening party.

Hamilton Chocolate Cake

1 c. brown sugar	1 tsp vanilla
½ c. fat	2 eggs beaten separately
⅔ c. milk	½ c. ground chocolate, dissolved in 2 tbsp. hot water
2 c. flour	1/2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder

Use cake method of mixing. Bake one hour in a loaf pan.

Almond Torte

4 eggs	½ c. almonds blanched finely chopped
⅓ c. ground chocolate	¾ c. fine cracker crumbs
1 tsp. baking powder	1 c. powdered sugar

Beat yolks of eggs until thick and lemon-colored; add sugar gradually, then fold in whites of eggs beaten until stiff and dry. Add chocolate, almonds, baking powder and cracker crumbs. Bake in a moderately slow oven. Cool, split, and put whipped cream, sweetened and flavored, between and on top. Garnish with angelica and candied cherries. This makes a most attractive dessert when baked in individual tins. When cool remove centers and fill with whipped cream.

Prune Cake

1 c. sugar	½ to ⅔ c. sour milk
⅓ c. fat	¼ tsp salt
2 eggs	1 c. cooked prunes, cut into pieces
1 ½ c. flour	1 tsp. soda
½ tsp. nutmeg	¾ baking powder
⅓ tsp. cloves	½ tsp. cinnamon

Bake in a loaf or two layers.

Santa Barbara Cake

½ c. fat	1 tsp. cloves
1 c. sugar	1 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs	1 c. sour milk
2 c. flour	¼ c. nuts chopped fine
1 tsp. nutmeg	Nuts and raisins may be omitted

Blackberry Jam Cake

1 c. sugar	3 eggs
⅔ c. fat	2 c. flour
1 c. sour milk	½ tsp. spice
1 tsp. soda	½ c. blackberry jam
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix as for butter cakes only mix the soda with the jam. Bake in layers and put together with icing or butter cream filling. Sweet milk may be substituted for the sour by using ½ tsp. soda instead of one tsp.

Apple Sauce Cake

2 c. flour	½ c. nuts, chopped
1 c. sugar	½ c. raisins
2 tsp. soda	1 ½ c. apple sauce medium thick, unsweetened
2 tsp. spice
3 tbsp. chocolate
½ tsp. salt	½ c. melted fat
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Sift all dry materials. Add nuts, raisins, apple-sauce, and lastly melted fat. Bake as a shallow loaf in moderate oven about 45-60 minutes. The nuts and raisins may be increased to 1 c. each for a richer cake. Apricot, prune or peach sauce of similar consistency may be used.

Fairy Gingerbread

¾ c. brown sugar	2 tsp. soda
2 eggs	1 c. boiling water
¾ c. light molasses	1 tbsp. ginger
¾ c. melted fat	2 tsp. cinnamon Other spice if desired
2 ½ c. flour

Sift dry ingredients, beat eggs, add molasses, softened fat, and lastly boiling water with soda in it. Makes a thin batter, but is very tender. Bake in gem pans.

Honey Cake

1 c. sugar	1 tsp. cinnamon and allspice
1 c. chopped citron	2 tbsp. honey
1 c. chopped nut meats	2 c. flour
4 eggs	1 tsp. baking powder
¾ c. chocolate

Mix in order given. Bake in thin sheet. Cut in small rectangles when done. May be frosted with a white icing if desired.

Honey Cake Special

3 eggs	½ tsp. allspice
1 c. light brown sugar	1 tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ c. honey	1 ¾ c. flour
½ c. ground chocolate	3 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cloves	¾ c. chopped nuts

Beat eggs and sugar together. Add honey, chocolate and spices, then flour and baking powder and lastly the nuts. Grease and flour a piece of heavy paper. Line bottom of a pan about 9 in. x 13 in. by 2 in. deep. Pour in the cake batter. Brush cream over top and place on it walnut halves at intervals. Bake in a slow oven till done, about 40 minutes. Honey mixtures burn easily, so the utmost care must be taken in baking.

Indio Cake

1 c. stoned and chopped dates	3 tbsp. butter
1 c. sugar	1 egg
1 c. nut meats	1 c. boiling water
3 tsp. baking powder	1 ½ c. flour
1 tsp maple flavoring

Sprinkle the ½ tsp. soda over the chopped dates and add the boiling water. Let stand until cool. Cream the butter, sugar and mapleine and mix with dates. Beat the egg, add the salt and stir into mixture. Then add the flour and baking powder, which should be sifted three times. Mix thoroughly and bake in a moderate oven for about 25 minutes.

Dark Fruit Cake

(Makes 10 Ibs.—keeps for years)

1 lb. butter substitute	4 lbs. seeded raisins
1 ¼ lbs. sugar	2 lbs. currants or seedless raisins
10 eggs	1 lb. citron
½ c. brandy or grape juice	1 ¼ lb. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon	1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. mace

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, spices and liquor. Mix flour and soda with fruit and add. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in slow oven about three hours.

English Fruit Cake

1 ½ lbs. flour	1 lb. mixed candied fruit
1 lb. butter	1 lb. blanched and sliced almonds
1 ½ lbs. brown sugar	4 tsbp. nutmeg
2 tbsp. lemon juice	Grated rind of 2 lemons
1 c. molasses	3 lbs. raisins
3 tbsp. mace	7 eggs
4 lbs. currants	2 tbsp. cloves
1 lb. figs	¾ lb. citron
1 tbsp. soda

Bake 3 to 4 hours in slow oven (200 to 250).

LIGHT CAKES

Angel Food

1 ½ c. sugar	1 c. flour
11 eggs	1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cream tartar

Sift flour four or five times. Sift sugar the same. Beat whites until stiff. Add cream of tartar to whites when beating. Sift into the whites a little of the sugar at a time and beat. Fold in the flour a little at a time and fold just enough to mix flour. Do not beat. Vanilla may be added to whites. Bake in a Turk's Head pan in a slow oven for one hour. Invert to cool. Frost with any white frosting.

Angel Sponge Cake

3 eggs	1 ⅓ c. flour
1 c. sugar	½ c. boiling water
½ tsp. baking powder	1 tsp. flavoring

Beat whites until stiff. Beat yolks, adding a pinch of salt. Add to whites and beat. Add sugar beating with egg beater. Add boiling water, then flour and lastly baking powder. Add flavoring. Bake in ungreased cake tin, in a hot, then moderate oven for 35-45 minutes. When done turn the cake tin upside down between two dishes until cold.

Feather Sponge

(Made With Potato Flour)

4 eggs	⅔ c. potato flour (good only with the best grade potato flour) or a prepared cake flour
1 c. sugar	1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. flavoring

Beat yolks and whites separately. Beat one-half of the sugar into yolks and one-half into the whites. Pour yolks and sugar over sifted flour and baking powder. Mix well. Add the whites and sugar and flavoring. Bake in a loaf or in two layers. This is a very tender sponge cake and makes an excellent dessert served with sliced bananas and whipped cream or strawberries and whipped cream.

Yellow Angel Cake

1 ¼ c. sugar	¾ tsp. cream tartar
5 tbsp. water	4 tsp. corn starch
7 eggs	⅛ tsp. salt
1 c. flour	1 tsp. flavoring

Sift dry ingredients four or five times. Beat yolks and whites separately. Boil sugar and water to a thread. Add syrup to stiffly beaten whites. Add yolks. Fold in the flour. Bake one hour in a slow oven. Frost with a white icing to which has been added a little grated rind of an orange.

Novelty Cake

¼ c. fat	2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sugar	½ c. milk
2 eggs	1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ c. flour

Filling

½ c. brown sugar	1 tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon	2 tbsp. flour
½ c. chopped nuts	Mix well

Put half of the cake batter in the pan and cover with some of the filling. Then spread over the rest of the batter and then the filling. Bake in an oblong shallow pan 7x11 inches for twenty-five minutes.

Snow White Cake

¾ c. fat	2 ½ c. prepared cake flour
1 ½ c. sugar	1 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla	6 egg whites, beaten stiff
3 tsp. baking powder

Mix by cake method. Bake in layers or a sheet.

Dorothy Cake

½ c. fat	2 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ c. sugar	Favoring
3 eggs	Nuts, raisins, or cocoanut may be added
1 c. milk	2 ½ c. flour

Mix as butter cake. Bake in layers in moderately hot oven. Use 2 tbsp. less milk and bake as loaf. A very fine-grained cake.

Silver Cake

(Made With Whites)

2 c. sugar	3 c. flour
½ c. fat	1 tsp. cream tartar with
4 egg whites	½ tsp. soda, or
1 c. cold water	2 tsp. baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten whites of eggs. Add cold water. Add sifted dry ingredients and beat briskly 5 minutes.

Mosaic Cake

1 c. sugar	1 tbsp, melted unsweetened chocolate
½ c. fat	¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 ¾ c. flour	¼ tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs	¼ tsp. allspice
¾ c. milk	½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. baking powder	1 tbsp. molasses

Mix first six ingredients according to cake method number one. Separate into three parts. To one add spices, molasses and melted chocolate. To the second add pink coloring and ½ tsp. rose flavoring. To the third add ½ tsp. vanilla. Into a round cake pan put an outer ring of the white, then a ring of pink, and the innermost ring of the black. On top of that put three more rings reversing the order and so on till all batter is used. This makes Mosaic Cake.

For marbled effect drop into a loaf cake pan alternately a spoonful of each mixture, drawing the spoon through each color two or three times to make the colors lie in patterns. Bake in a moderate oven about ¾ hour.

California Cake

(Made With Yolks)

¼ c. fat	⅞ c. flour
½ c. sugar	1½ tsp. baking powder
5 egg yolks	1 tsp. orange extract
¼ c. milk

Cream fat and sugar. Add yolks beaten well and extract. Mix and sift flour and baking powder and add alternately with milk to first mixture.

Hot Lemonade Cake

1½ c. sugar	½ c. almonds or walnuts, ground fine
6 eggs	¼ tsp. cinammon
Rind of 1 lemon	1½ c. sifted bread crumbs
¼ tsp. baking powder	½ tsp. bitter almond flavoring

Beat yolks, add sugar gradually; bread crumbs, baking powder, grated lemon rind and flavoring. Fold the whites in last. Bake in a square pan in a slow oven one hour. When cake is removed from pan, pour over it one cup of very strong boiling lemonade.

White Fruit Cake

2 c. flour	½ tsp. salt
1 c. almonds	¼ tsp. soda
⅔ c. fat	2 tbsp. milk
6 egg whites	1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla	1 tsp. baking powder
1½ c. candied fruits	½ tsp. rose flavoring
½ c. cocoanut

Cream fat and sugar. Add milk and flavoring. Add cocoanut and almonds. Add flour sifted with baking powder, and salt and soda. Reserve ½ cup of the sifted flour and dredge the candied fruits in it. Add this with fruits to mixture. Fold in whites. Bake in a loaf pan in a slow oven 1½ hours.

Any combination of the following candied fruits may be used:

Cherries, pineapple, citron, orange peel, lemon peel, apricot. The almonds should be blanched and shredded. Fresh grated cocoanut may be used or dessicated cocoanut soaked in milk and drained before adding to batter.

English Tea Cake

½ lb. butter	½ lb. currants, or ⅓ lb. seedless white raisins
¾ lb. flour	4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder	Grated rind of 1 lemon
½ lb. sugar

Cream butter and work in the flour, then the sugar and currants. Beat eggs well and add to mixture with lemon rind. Bake slowly 1¼ hours. Blanched almonds or candied cherries may be added. This is excellent sliced thin and served with ice cream or with tea. It keeps well.

Cream Puffs

½ c. butter	4 eggs
1 c. boiling water	1 c. flour

Put butter and water in sauce-pan. As soon as boiling point is reached add flour all at once and stir vigorously over a low fire. Remove from fire as soon as dough does not cling to spoon or pan (from 2 to five minutes). Cool. Add unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed, between the addition of each egg. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased sheet two inches apart, piling mixture up high. Put in a hot oven for ten minutes, then reduce the heat and complete cooking in a slow oven. Time for baking 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size of puffs. When cold slit and fill with whipped cream or cream filling. See Boston Cream Pie Filling.

Doughnuts

1½ c. sugar	¼ tsp. cinnamon
2½ tbsp. fat	¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
3 eggs	1½ tsp. salt
1 c. milk	Flour to roll
4 tsp. baking powder

Cream fat with one third of the sugar. Beat egg until light. Add remaining sugar, and combine mixtures. Add 3½ cups flour sifted with baking powder, salt and spices; then enough more flour to make stiff enough to roll. Roll out about one-third of the dough at a time to one-fourth inch thickness. Shape with doughnut cutter and fry in deep fat and drain on clean soft paper. The temperature of fat for frying dougnuts is 360°F. This may be tested, if there is no thermometer, by a square of bread which should brown in 60 seconds.

Snowballs

3 eggs	1 tsp. salt
1⅓ c. sugar	½ tsp. soda
1 tbsp. melted fat	4 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sour milk	3 c. flour
¼ tsp. nutmeg

Beat eggs, add sugar, melted fat, sour milk and dry ingredients sifted twice. Then add enough flour to handle. Roll out ¼ inch thick and cut with small round cutter about one inch in diameter. Fry in deep fat, turning as soon as it comes to top. When cool, roll in powdered sugar. Makes about 150 snowballs.

INEXPENSIVE CAKES

Raisin Cake

1 c. sugar	1 egg
2 c. flour	½ c. fat
½ tsp. soda	½ tsp. cloves
1 c. raisins, cut fine	1 c. sour milk or boiling water
1 c. nuts, chopped fine	2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder	½ tsp. nutmeg

Mix as butter cake. Very satisfactory plain cake. Bake in moderate oven as loaf.

Economy Cake

1 c. brown sugar	1 tsp. ginger
1 c. water	2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. raisins	1 tsp. soda
½ c. fat	2 c. flour

Bring sugar and water to boil. Add raisins and cook 5 minutes. Add fat and spice. Cool and add sifted soda and flour. Bake in a moderate oven. More fruit and nuts may be added.

Inexpensive Devil's Food

1 c. sugar	½ tsp. soda
4 tbsp. fat	1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. boiling water	1½ c. flour
1 egg	¼ tsp. salt
6 tbsp. ground chocolate

Boil chocolate and ½ cup water together until creamy—about 2 minutes. Cool. Cream fat and sugar. Beat egg and add to above. Add chocolate mixture. Add flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Add soda to ½ cup boiling water. Stir into mixture and beat well. Bake in 2 layers. (A thin batter.)

Lightning Cake

1¼ c. flour	⅓ c. fat or oil
¾ c. sugar	2 eggs
3 tsp. baking powder	milk
½ tsp. salt

Sift dry ingredients. Put fat into a cup. Add eggs unbeaten. Fill up cup with milk. Beat 3 minutes.

Vary with chocolate, cocoanut, nuts or spices.

One Egg Cake

4 tbsp. fat	½ c. milk
½ c. sugar	1½ c. flour
1 egg	2½ tsp. baking powder

Mix quick or muffin method.

Cup Cakes

Bake the above recipe or the standard cake recipe in muffin tins.

An Old Recipe

This is taken from a cook book entitled "American Cookery," by Amelia Simmons, "an American Orphan," published in 1796 at Hartford, Conn. The book is now in the possession of Mrs. Hadassah Cheroske of Los Angeles.

Plain Cake

"Nine pound of flour, 3 pound of sugar, 3 pound of butter, 1 quart emtins, 1 quart milk, 9 eggs, 1 ounce spice, 1 gill rosewater, 1 gill of wine.

Emptins

"Take a handful of hops and about three quarts of water, let it boil about fifteen minutes, then make a thickening as you do for starch, strain the liquor, when cold put a little emtins to work them, they will keep well corked in a bottle five or six weeks."

COOKED ICINGS

Reliable or Seven Minute Icing

⅞ c. sugar	1 egg white unbeaten
3 tbsp. cold water

Put all ingredients in a one-quart double boiler. When water in lower part of double boiler is boiling vigorously, set in the top part with the ingredients, and beat constantly with a Dover egg beater for seven minutes. Remove from fire and stir in one dozen marshmallows cut in fourths. Flavor and spread on cake. This icing will never fail to be of the proper consistency if the above directions are followed and the proper utensils used. The water in the lower part of the double boiler must be high enough to surround the icing. This will frost a large cake.

Variations of Reliable Icing

Chocolate. Add 4 tbsp. ground chocolate when removing from fire.

Caramel. Flavor with 2 tbsp. caramel syrup. To make caramel syrup see directions under Cake Variations.

Pineapple. Use pineapple juice instead of water.

Birthday Novelties

1. Sprinkle "hundred million' candies over icing as soon as spread on cake.

2. Make petals by cutting marshmallows into petals with scissors and arrange in flower shapes on frosted cake. Petals may be tinted with vegetable color pastes.

White Mountain Icing

1 c. sugar	Flavoring
⅓ c. water	1 egg white
½ tsp. cream tartar

Bring sugar and water to boil and add cream of tartar. Boil till it spins a thread when dropped from tip of spoon. Pour slowly over stiff whites. Beat until it will stand. Add flavoring. If too stiff add a little hot water. Will fill and ice a medium sized two layer cake.

Baking Powder Frosting

2 egg whites	¼ tsp. baking powder
2 c. sugar	½ c. water
¼ tsp. cream tartar	¼ lemon

Mix sugar, cream of tartar, and baking powder and add water. Boil. Beat egg whites stiff and put in bowl over boiling water. Add spoonfuls of boiling syrup one at a time to egg whites, beating constantly. Add syrup (it is continually boiling) till 1/2 has been used. Add lemon juice to whites. Let syrup remain boiling to the thread test. Pour this now on whites and beat until it will stand alone when dropped. If too hard, add a little hot water. If not hard enough, continue to cook and heat over the boiling water.

Marshmallow Frosting

1 c. brown sugar	¼ c. butter
½ c. white sugar	¼ lb. marshmallows
¼ c. boiling water

Cook all except marshmallows until it forms a soft ball, tested in cold water. Melt the marshmallows over boiling water and add to first mixture and beat until thick enough to spread.

Chocolate Icing

1 c. sugar	2 egg yolks
5 tbsp. water	3 tbsp. ground chocolate

Boil to thread the sugar and water. Beat yolks well and add the chocolate to these. Pour syrup over the egg and chocolate. Beat a little and pour on the cake. This is very good, and has a good glaze.

Nut-Caramel Frosting

1¼ c. brown sugar	⅓ c. water
¼ c. white sugar	2 eggs

Boil first three to thread. Pour gradually over the whites of two eggs beaten stiff. Beat till luke warm. Set back on stove in a pan of boiling water and boil till it becomes granular around the edge. Remove and heat till it holds its shape. Add 1/3 c. walnuts and 1 tsp. vanilla. Pour over cake using back of spoon and try to get a rough surface.

UNCOOKED ICINGS

Mocha Filling I

1 c. butter	2 tbsp. coffee syrup
Powdered sugar	1 egg white

Make two cups strong coffee. Strain and boil down until only a thick syrup remains.

Cream butter, add sifted powdered sugar until too stiff to stir. Add coffee syrup drop by drop while stirring. Add unbeaten egg white and sugar until desired consistency to spread on cake.

Mocha Filling II

1 c. powdered sugar	¼ c. butter or butter substitute
¼ chocolate

Mix ingredients well and thin as desired with hot coffee or cream. This keeps a long time. May omit chocolate.

French Butter Cream

½ c. baked vanilla custard.

Make one cup hard sauce. Add custard very slowly to this, beat well. If it curdles, add a tablespoon of melted butter. Canned milk may be added in place of the custard. For a mocha frosting flavor with strong coffee. For chocolate frosting add ground chocolate. This makes an excellent filling and is fine for the tops of cakes used with pastry tube.

Chocolate Frosting

8 tbsp. cocoa or chocolate	2 tbsp. butter
2 ½ c. powdered sugar	1 tsp. vanilla
Boiling water

Put cocoa, sugar, butter and vanilla in bowl. Add boiling water drop at a time stirring until of the desired consistency to spread. If it hardens before ready to spread stand over hot water until softened. Most satisfactory, easy rosting.

Dark Chocolate Icing

Melt 2 squares chocolate	Add 3 tbsp. of boiling water
Add 5 tbsp. powdered sugar

Orange Frosting

Grated rind of 1 orange	1 egg yolk
½ tsp. lemon juice	Powdered sugar
1 tbsp orange juice

Add fruit juice gradually to egg yolk slightly beaten. Stir in sugar until of consistency to spread.

Reed Whip

1 egg white, unbeaten

½ glass of jelly

Put in bowl and beat with a Dover type egg beater until stiff enough to keep its shape. Use on top of cake or as a filling. Very attractive but must be eaten soon after it is put on cake.

Powdered Sugar Icing

Add milk or water to powdered sugar to make the consistency to spread. Flavor.

Ornamental Frosting

1 egg white unbeaten

2 tbsp powdered sugar

Beat this for two minutes then continue to beat in sifted powdered sugar until stiff enough to hold its shape. Test for this by drawing a case knife through the frosting. If cut remains it is stiff enough for the pastry tube. Flavor with one tbsp. lemon juice added as the sugar is beaten in. Color if desired. Use less sugar for plain icing.

FILLINGS

Variations of Reliable or Seven Minute Icing

The following fillings may be made by using the Seven Minute Frosting with the suggested variations. (See under Icings.)

Caramel filling. Use brown sugar instead of white, or add 2 tbsp, caramel syrup. See Caramel Cake.

Cocoanut. 1/3 c. fresh or grated cocoanut added when taken from fire.

Chop Suey. ¼ c. each of raisins, nuts and cocoanut.

Chocolate. ¼ c. ground chocolate or 1 square of melted chocolate.

Date or Fig. ¼, c. chopped dates or figs.

Jam. Add 2 tbsp. jam to filling. Lady Baltimore. 5 figs, 1 c. chopped pecans,1 c. raisins, cut.

Nut. 1/3 c. chopped nuts.

Orange 2 tbsp. finely chopped candied orange peel.

Pineapple. Use three tbsp. of pineapple juice instead of water.

Praline. ½ c. of rolled almond, peanut or walnut brittle.

Prune. ½ c. finely chopped cooked or steamed prunes.

Prune-Almond. ½ c. finely chopped cooked prunes and 1/3 c. blanched, chopped almonds.

Orange Filling

½ c. of sugar	¼ c. of orange juice
2½ tbsp. flour	½ tbsp. lemon juice
Grated rind ½ orange	1 egg slightly beaten
1 tsp. butter

Cook twelve minutes in double boiler, stirring constantly. Cool before spreading.

Lemon Filling

4 egg yolks	1½ lemon, juice and rind
¾ c. sugar

Beat eggs well and add sugar then other ingredients. Cook in double boiler until thick. Use whites for silver cake or cheroqueets.

Lemon Butter

1 egg, beaten well	Juice of 1 lemon and grated rind of ½
1 c. sugar added	1 tbsp. butter

Beat well and cook slowly in double boiler till thick, stirring all the time. Use like jam for spreading on hot biscuits, muffins, etc.

Boston Cream Pie Filling

1 c. milk	1 egg yolk
2 to 4 tbsp flour	¼ tsp. vanilla or rind of ½ orange, grated
4 tbsp. sugar	⅛ tsp. salt

Mix flour, sugar, salt. Add milk and rind, cook in double boiler ten minutes or until starch is cooked. Add egg and remove from fire and spread between layers when cool, or use for cream puffs.

Chocolate Filling

½ c. milk	1 c. sugar
2 squares unsweetened chocolate	Yolk one egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt chocolate over hot water, with sugar and milk. When smooth add beaten yolk. Cook two minutes.

Pineapple Filling

1 c. grated pineapple	1 egg yolk
¾ c. sugar	1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 lemon, rind and juice	1 egg white

Cook in double boiler until thickened and add egg white beaten.

Strawberry Whip

1 c. strawberries	1 egg white, unbeaten
1 c. sugar

Put all into a large bowl and beat with an egg whip until stiff. This is good for cake that is to be eaten as soon as whip is spread onto it. Also good for cream puffs and as a dessert.