Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Baking-powder. — Nearly all plain cakes will be made lighter by the addition of a little baking - powder. Cream of tartar, or baking-powder, is omitted when molasses or sour milk is used, and soda alone is then used for the raising of the cake. One teaspoonful of cream of tartar and onehalf teaspoonful of soda is equivalent to one teaspoonful of baking-powder. When used, sift with the flour. Moulds for cakes should be greased with lard, as butter blackens, and it is a good plan to place some well-oiled paper between the mould and the cake. Baking. — Small cakes require a quick oven when they are first put in, to make them rise, but the heat should not be increased after they have begun to bake. Large cakes should be put into a moderate oven, in order that they may be well baked in the middle before they are overdone on the outside. In order to ascertain if a cake is sufficiently baked, insert a straw, a skewer, or knitting-needle into the centre of it, and if it comes out perfectly clean the cake is sufficiently ready, but if anything is sticking to it the cake must be put back into the oven at once. If the oven is too hot the cake will rise in a cone at the centre. Cake° should be gently turned out of the mould when ready, placed on the top of the oven to dry, then laid on their sides to cool. They should be kept in a cool place, and in tin canisters, closely covered. Almond Cake Dry materials are mixed in one bowl, liquids in another. The two are to be combined just before putting into the oven. Icing. — Take i lb. 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 better to add sugar to eggs before beating than afterwards. Boiled Icing. — One cupful of granulated sugar, two table - spoonfuls of water. Boil together till it threads from the spoon, stirring often. Beat the while of one egg stiff. Put it into a deep dish, and, when the sugar is boiling, turn the whole on the egg, and beat rapidly together until thick enough to spread on the cake. See also Icing. Garnishing. — The simplest form is to brush the cake with the white of egg, then sprinkle nuts, chopped fine, or colored sugar, or use jam. Almond Cake. — Cream half a cupful of butter and a cupful and a half of sugar ; add half a cupful of milk, two cupfuls of flour, the whites of four eggs, and a teaspoonful and a half of baking-powder. Bake in the pans used for jelly cake. Make an icing with the whites of three eggs and three table-spoonfuls of sugar. Blanch 1 lb. of almonds, and chop half of them almost to a powder. Mix with a little of the icing, spread it between the layers, then cover the whole cake with the remainder of the icing, arranging halved almonds on the top and sides. Angel Cake Black Cake