The home science cook book

In beating the eggs we make bubbles of air similar to soap bubbles when air is blown into soapy water; the albumen of the egg forming the wall of the air cell. When the eggs are beaten into the butter the fat combines with the albumen and helps to entangle and hold the air, but when we stir a watery liquid, like milk, into the mixture, we break up some of these fine bubbles and this makes large cells, and the result is a coarse-grained cake, unless we beat in at the last enough more air to make another lot of bubbles. This may be avoided by simply pouring the milk into the bowl and not stirring it until the flour is added ; or, better still, by adding a few spoonfuls of flour first, then a little of the milk, and then a little flour, beating well after each time, and so on, alternately, until the full measure is used. Add the beaten whites last. All cakes made with butter require to be beaten long and vigorously after the flour is in that they may be smooth and fine grained Sponge Cake. Grate the yellow rind from half a lemon, squeeze the juice over it, let it stand awhile, then strain. Use from four to six eggs according to their size. Beat the yolks thoroughly, add one cup of sugar, and the lemon juice, and beat again. Sprinkle one-fourth teaspoon of salt over the whites of the eggs and beat until stiff, but not too dry. Fold a part of the stiff 198 Home Science Cook Book. whites into the yolks, sift over part of one cup of flour, then add the remainder of the whites and of the flour. Do not stir to break the air bubbles. Bake in a moderate oven for nearly one hour, if in one loaf. A sprinkle of powdered sugar over the top of the cake before the pan is put in the oven produces a flaky crust. Lady Fingers, Sponge Drops, Layer Cakes. The sponge or angel cake mixture may be used for sponge drops or put through a pastry bag and tube for lady fingers, or baked in patty pans or in layers. Chocolate Sponge Cake. Make as above, sifting one ounce of cocoa with the sugar or flour. White Sponge Cake or Angel Cake. Use one cup each of egg whites and sugar, and one scant cup of flour, one-half teaspoon of cream of tartar, one-fourth teaspoon of salt, and one-half teaspoon of flavoring, almond or vanilla. Beat the egg whites stiff, sifting the cream of tartar over them, and add flavoring. Mix sugar, salt, and flour and sift several times, then sift gently over the stiff whites, and fold together with as little mixing as possible. Sometimes the sugar is added first and the flour afterward. Putin an ungreased pan with a center funnel and bake in a moderate oven for nearly an hour. Then invert the pan until the cake slips out. Frost if desired. Sunshine Cake. This is angel cake to which is added half as many yolks as whites of eggs. Cakes. 199 Hot Water Cake. Beat two eggs with a scant cup of sugar until very light, add one-fourth teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of lemon extract, and one-fourth cup of rapidly boiling water, beating all the time. Quickly stir in one cup of flour in which one teaspoon of baking powder has been sifted. Bake in small pans or layers. Meringues or Kisses.