The household (of the Detroit free press)

PINK COLORING FOR CAKE. One tablespoonful of pulverized cochineal, one tablespoonful each of alum, soda and cream of tartar ; mix thoroughly with one glass or half pint of boiling water ; strain and bottle till ready for use. TINTED FROSTING. The yolks of three eggs, and one-half cup of pulverized sugar. Do not beat the eggs separate from the sugar ; flavor with lemon ; splendid on white cake. CONFECTIONERS' ICING. Beat the whites of two eggs with eight large spoonfuls of white sugar; place in a small can and cook over the boiling tea-kettle for five minutes, stirring constantly ; spread it on the cake with a knife, and as quickly as possible, as it hardens immediately. ALMOND FROSTING. Two cups of sugar ; pour over one-half cup of boiling water, cook until ropy ; beat whites of two eggs, stir into the sugar until cold (it requires a good deal of stirring) ; add flavoring (bitter almonds is best), and one and a half cups sweet almonds blanched. ORNAMENTAL FROSTING. Make frosting just thick enough to run well, then place it in a smallsized funnel made of letter paper, first cutting off the small end to allow the frosting to pass through freely, and ornament to your taste. The cake should be cold and made smooth and floured to prevent the frosting from sliding off. LEMON CAKE ICING. One cup of white sugar, two tablespoonfuls of water ; put these in a dish on the stove and heat slowly until boiling hot ; beat the white of an egg to a stiff foam and stir into the sugar ; remove from the stove and stir occasionally until nearly cool, then flavor with lemon or rosewater and spread on the cake. ISINGLASS FROSTING. Take one sheet of isinglass, pour about half a cupful of boiling water on it and stand it in a warm place to dissolve slowly. When there is no scum on top add to it one pound of powdered sugar and a heaping teaspoonful of starch. Let the cakes be cold ; pour the frosting over, smooth it down as little as possible and set it away in a cool place to get hard. This is a nice and much easier way than to make frosting of sugar and beaten eggs. CHOCOLATE FROSTING. Six even tablespoonfuls grated chocolate, one and a half cups of powdered sugar, whites of three eggs ; beat the whites but very little (not until they become white) ; add the chocolate and stir in the mixture ; then pour in the sugar gradually, beating to mix it well. GOLD FROSTING. The yolk of one egg to nine heaping teaspoonfuls of pulverized sugar, and flavor with vanilla. Use the same day it is made. PORK CAKE. Two pounds of raisins, one pound of currants, one pound pork fat, two and one-half cups molasses, the same quantity of sugar, two and a half cups of boiling water, three teaspoonfuls of baking soda, one tablespoonful of cloves, one tablespoonful of cinnamon and one teaspoonful of fine salt. FRENCH CAKE. One cup and a half of butter, four cups flour, three cups sugar, four eggs — always beat yolks and whites of eggs separately — juice of half a lemon and rind of a whole one ; just before putting in oven mix one teaspoonful of soda and the lemon with one cup of sour milk. CLOVE CAKE. Two cups flour, half-cup molasses, one half-cup butter, one half-cup milk, two eggs, two cups of raisins, one teaspoonful of soda, half teaspoonful each of cloves, cinnamon and allspice, half a nutmeg. CHESS CAKE.