Section 2. Cakes and Desserts
Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. — Samuel Johnson.
419. Under the head of " Cakes and Desserts " come
most of the dishes that contain enough sugar to make
sweetness their predominant taste. With the sugar
other ingredients are combined in various ways.
Cakes and desserts; new applications of familiar principles.
— Compare the recipe for Egg JNluffins with the recipe
for Standard Cake in the table below. For convenience
the former is repeated at the head of the table. Cake,
you see, is only rich bread, some cakes being richer than
others, — that is, having more butter, sugar, and eggs in
proportion to the flour. Which is the richest cake in
the table ? Which is the plainest ?
420. Two classes of cakes : butter and sponge cakes. —
AH cakes belong to one of two classes, butter cakes and
SUGAR AND SWEETS 265
cakes without butter, or sponge cakes. Several kinds of
cake can easily be made from one recipe, by varying the
flavorings, spices, and fruits, by baking the same mix-
ture in pans of different shapes, by frosting the cake or
leaving it plain.
421. Every one that cooks should understand the
principles of mixing and raising batters sufficiently to
know when she reads a new recipe whether or not it
will turn out well, and whether it is extravagant or
reasonable.
422. General rules for the proportions of ingredients in
cakes. — In general, a cake should contain not more than
one-third to one-half as much butter as sugar, and
about half as much liquid as flour. Remember that
butter, or other shortening, counts as liquid, since it
melts in the oven. Sour milk and molasses do not thin
a mixture as much as sweet milk or water. A cake
with fruit should be a little stiffer than one without.
One cupful of molasses requires one teaspoonful of soda.
How much soda is required for one pint of sour milk ?
(§ 197.) How much baking-poAvder for one cup of
flour? (§ 201.) The more eggs there are in a cake, the
less baking-powder is needed.
423. Compare Standard Cake with 1, 2, 3, 4 Cake.
How do you account for their having the same quantity
of milk while the flour in the latter recipe is double
that in the former ? Why is there less sugar in Spice
Cake than in 1, 2, 3, 4 cake ? Account for the absence
of baking-powder in Spice Cake and Gingerbread. Why
266 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COOKERY
does Sponge Cake require no baking-powder ? Notice
some of the other ways in which recipes differ, and
account for these in as many cases as you can.
Directions for mixing Cake
(See Breaking and Beating Eggs, p. 89.)
Note. — Read "Hints on How to Work," p. 56, "Batters and
Doughs," p. 106, and " Helpful Hints about Mixing and Baking Quick
Breads," p. 110. What is said about quick breads applies equally to
cakes.
Page 118
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Section 2. Cakes and Desserts
Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. — Samuel Johnson.
419. Under the head of " Cakes and Desserts " come
most of the dishes that contain enough sugar to make
sweetness their predominant taste. With the sugar
other ingredients are combined in various ways.
Cakes and desserts; new applications of familiar principles.
— Compare the recipe for Egg JNluffins with the recipe
for Standard Cake in the table below. For convenience
the former is repeated at the head of the table. Cake,
you see, is only rich bread, some cakes being richer than
others, — that is, having more butter, sugar, and eggs in
proportion to the flour. Which is the richest cake in
the table ? Which is the plainest ?
420. Two classes of cakes : butter and sponge cakes. —
AH cakes belong to one of two classes, butter cakes and
SUGAR AND SWEETS 265
cakes without butter, or sponge cakes. Several kinds of
cake can easily be made from one recipe, by varying the
flavorings, spices, and fruits, by baking the same mix-
ture in pans of different shapes, by frosting the cake or
leaving it plain.
421. Every one that cooks should understand the
principles of mixing and raising batters sufficiently to
know when she reads a new recipe whether or not it
will turn out well, and whether it is extravagant or
reasonable.
422. General rules for the proportions of ingredients in
cakes. — In general, a cake should contain not more than
one-third to one-half as much butter as sugar, and
about half as much liquid as flour. Remember that
butter, or other shortening, counts as liquid, since it
melts in the oven. Sour milk and molasses do not thin
a mixture as much as sweet milk or water. A cake
with fruit should be a little stiffer than one without.
One cupful of molasses requires one teaspoonful of soda.
How much soda is required for one pint of sour milk ?
(§ 197.) How much baking-poAvder for one cup of
flour? (§ 201.) The more eggs there are in a cake, the
less baking-powder is needed.
423. Compare Standard Cake with 1, 2, 3, 4 Cake.
How do you account for their having the same quantity
of milk while the flour in the latter recipe is double
that in the former ? Why is there less sugar in Spice
Cake than in 1, 2, 3, 4 cake ? Account for the absence
of baking-powder in Spice Cake and Gingerbread. Why
266 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COOKERY
does Sponge Cake require no baking-powder ? Notice
some of the other ways in which recipes differ, and
account for these in as many cases as you can.
Directions for mixing Cake
(See Breaking and Beating Eggs, p. 89.)
Note. — Read "Hints on How to Work," p. 56, "Batters and
Doughs," p. 106, and " Helpful Hints about Mixing and Baking Quick
Breads," p. 110. What is said about quick breads applies equally to
cakes.