Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Washington Cake. — Two cupfuls of white sugar, one cupful of butter, one cupful of sweet milk, four eggs. Beat the whites and yolks separately, add three cupfuls of flour, and a teaspoonful of baking-powder. Bake in round, flat, tin pans. Peel and grate two large apples and the rind of a lemon, add also the strained juice of the latter, one heaping cupful of white sugar, and one egg, and let it boil up in a stewpan. Pour it out, and when quite cool spread over the cakes, which must be placed one Wedding Cake White Spice Cake over the other in layers, just as in making jelly cake. Wedding Cake. — One pound and a half of flour, i}4 lbs. of butter, Y2 lb. of candied lemon, Y2 lb. of candied orange, Y2 lb. of candied citron, I lb. of dried cherries, I Y2 lbs. of dried currants (if the cherries cannot be easily procured, they may be omitted, and 2Y2 lbs. of currants used instead), 8 ozs. of almonds, eight eggs, the rind of four oranges or of two lemons rubbed upon I Y2 lbs. of sugar, Y2 oz. of spices, consisting of powdered cinnamon, grated nutmeg, and powdered cloves in equal proportions, a teaspoonful of salt, and a small tumblerful 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 moderate-sized 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 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. Put them in a little at a time, and beat the cake between every addition. It should be beaten fully three-quarters of an hour. If brown sugar is used, and the flour is browned, not burned, in the oven, the cake will have a darker color. 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 enough. The cake ought not to be iced until a short time before it is wanted, as it may get dirty. Time to bake the cake, about six hours. Another way : — One pound of butter, 1 lb. of sugar, 1 lb. of eggs, I lb. of flour, 2 lbs. of raisins, 2 lbs. of currants, 1 lb. of citron, two nutmegs. one table-spoonful of ground cloves, two table-spoonfuls of ground cinnamon, I tablespoonful of ground allspice, two-thirds of a teacupful of molasses, and one tumblerful of wine. Mix the butter and sugar to a light cream, then add one-half of the raisins, stoned and chopped, then the eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately. Warm together the spices, molasses, and wine, and add first the sifted flour, and lastly the remainder of the fruit, mixing the whole very thoroughly. Bake in a deep, thick pan in a moderately hot oven till fully done.