Most for your money cookbook

Mix flour, soda and salt and sift twice. Place shortening, molasses, sugar and spices in mixing bowl, set over boiling water and leave just long enough for contents to heat through, then beat all together until well blended. Add beaten eggs and milk, stir in sifted flour and beat vigorously. Pour into a greased and floured dripping pan, dust a little sugar over top and bake 25 to 40 minutes in moderate oven (350° F.). The cake may be cut in squares and eaten hot or cold, or cut in halves and put together with any preferred filling. A cup of currants or i of raisins, seeded, cut in pieces, with a little of the flour sprinkled through them, may be added to batter to give it a fruity taste; also i or both of the egg whites may be omitted and used for frosting. The batter if made a little thinner (about 2 tablespoons less flour), may be poured into patty pans, ^ full, and baked in 15 minutes. Ready-to-mix gingerbread sold in packages is good and quicker to make, but even if they throw in a nickel tin you get little for your money and have to turn on the oven besides. So while you are about it why not make a generous sized cake and have left-overs for snacking or next day's luncheon. DATE CAKE I TEASPOON SODA 2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER 1 CUP HOT WATER I CUP SUGAR ^2 PACKAGE DATES, I EGG, WELL BEATEN CUT IN PIECES I>^ CUPS FLOUR, SIFTED TWICE yi TEASPOON VANILLA Dissolve soda in hot water, stir into dates and set aside till cold. Cream butter and sugar, add beaten egg, date mixture, sifted flour and vanilla; beat vigorously. Put in greased and floured cake pan and bake 30 minutes in moderate oven. APPLESAUCE CAKE 2 CUPS FLOUR y^. CUP BUTTER, OR OTHER SHORT- I TEASPOON SODA ENING \]/2 TEASPOONS CINNAMON I CUP SUGAR yi TEASPOON CLOVES I CUP RAISINS, SEEDED I CUP COLD THICK APPLESAUCE, STRAINED Cream butter, add sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy. Mix and sift flour twice with soda and spices. Add alternately with applesauce to first mixture, a small amount at a time; and stir in raisins dredged with a little flour saved out for the purpose. Put into a buttered and floured cake pan and bake 40 minutes in moderate oven (350° F.), or bake 15 minutes in patty pans. This cake is not only inexpensive but it is decidedly reminiscent of rich fruit cake in taste and surely is easier on the digestion. It is an old American recipe that should never be left out of the home baker's repertoire. SPICE CAKE ^ CUP MOLASSES 2 EGG YOLKS, WELL BEATEN 3 TABLESPOONS BROWN SUGAR % CUP BOILING WATER \yi TEASPOONS CINNAMON I>^ CUPS FLOUR ^ TEASPOON NUTMEG I TEASPOON SODA Mix molasses, sugar, spices and beaten yolks together, add boiling water and beat thoroughly; add flour, sift twice, with soda, and beat again. Bake in 3 layers in moderate oven and put together with a frosting made with the 2 egg whites. One tablespoon ginger may be used for spice if preferred. An excellent everyday cake. FEATHER CAKE 2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER l}4 CUPS FLOUR 1 CUP SUGAR l}4 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER 2 EGGS I^ TEASPOON SALT ^2 CUP MILK