The national course in home economics

As weddings are always in style, and as a cake made at home is not only more inexpensive, but also more desirable from the fact that the prospective bride usually compounds it, we give a very carefully prepared recipe for that purpose. This cake improves by being made some time beforehand. The following ingredients are necessary: One and one-half pounds of flour, one and one-half pounds of butter, one-half pound of candied lemon, one-half pound of candied orange, one-half pound of candied citron, one pound of dried cherries, one and one-half pounds of dried currants (if the cherries are not used, take two and one-half pounds of currants instead), eight ounces of almonds, eight eggs, the rind of four oranges or of two lemons rubbed upon sugar, one-half ounce of spices, consisting of powdered cinnamon, grated nutmeg, and powdered cloves in equal proportions, one teaspoonful of salt and a small tumbler of brandy. If objected to, the brandy may be omitted, and another egg may be added. Wash, pick, and dry the currants, cut the cherries into moderatesized pieces, slice the candied peel into thin shreds, blanch and pound the almonds, or cut them into very small pieces, and crush the flavored sugar to powder. Put the butter into a large bowl, and beat it to a cream, either with a wooden spoon or with the hand. Add very gradually the sugar, flour, and eggs, and when they are thoroughly mixed work in the rest of the ingredients, a little at a time, and beat the cake between every addi- tion. Beat it three-quarters of an hour. Line a tin hoop with double folds of buttered paper, pour in the mixture, and place it on a metal baking-sheet with twelve folds of paper under it, and four or five on the top, to keep it from burning. Put it in a moderately heated oven and keep the oven at an even temperature until it is done. If the cake is to be iced, first prepare the almond part: Take one-half pound of almonds, throw them into boiling water, and skin them. Pound them in a mortar with a few drops of orange-flower water, one pound of fine white sugar, and as much white of egg as will make a soft stiff paste. Spread this over the top of the cake and keep it from the edge as much as possible. Put it in a cool oven, or in a warm place, till it is dry and hard. To make the sugar icing, put two pounds of icing sugar into a bowl and work into it the whites of two, or if necessary three, or even four, eggs. The whites must not be whisked, but thrown in as they are. Work the mixture to a stiff shiny paste, and whilst working it add occasionally a drop of lemon juice. Be careful to obtain icing sugar. If a drop of liquid blue is added it will look whiter. The icing needs to be worked vigorously to make a paste which will not run, and the fewer eggs used the better. The cake should not be iced until a short time before it is wanted, as it may become soiled. Spread the icing evenly over with hands wet with cold water, then smooth with an ivory knife, and put it in gentle oven to harden. Ornament the cake with little knobs of icing placed round the edge; and on the day of the wedding a wreath of white flowers and green leaves may be placed round it by way of beautifying, or any more elaborate ornamentation that may suggest itself. Mildred H. CONVENTION CAKE.