Materials for cake. — These should always be of the best quality,
as cake is a luxury, and if served at all should be made of the best
ingredients. Have everything perfectly dry, as dampness in the
materials is almost certain to produce heaviness in the cake. It
is best to have each ingredient prox3erly prepared before beginning
to mix the cake, and in cold weather warm them to a uniform tem-
perature and they will mix better. While all the materials should
be good, however, many cooks are needlessly extravagant in their
use of butter and eggs, and we commend to our readers the econom-
ical recipes which we have gathered together in this, as in other de-
partments of the book.
Butter used in cake making should be free from rancidity. In
cold weather let it stand near the stove to soften, but most cake mak-
ers agree that it should not melt. It must be worked and beaten
with the sugar until it is thoroughly creamed. Many cooks use
moderately salted butter without washing, as the small amount of
salt which it contains adds to the flavor of the cake, but if it is ex-
cessively salted the washing process is indispensable. To wash
butter it must be thoroughly worked with the hands in a deep pan
or pail of water until it is soft and pasty, changing the water once
or twice if needed. In cold weather the water may be slightly
warmed, but in summer it should be cold.
Sugar should always be dry and well powdered. For delicate
cakes, pulverized or the finest grades of granulated sugar should be
used. Some kinds of fruit cake have a fine flavor imparted by using
a good quality of unrefined brown sugar, and brown sugar is suita-
CAKE 347
ble for most dark cakes. Cake is made heavy by using very coarse
granulated sugar. Lumpy sugar should always be crushed and
sifted.
For many of the finer cakes cofPee "A" sugar produces better re-
sults than any other kind.
Molasses for cooking should be the rich, dark New Orleans or
West India molasses. Light colored syrups are sometimes made of
glucose and are inferior, being less sweet than that drained from
crude sugar, these grades being the viscid, brown liquid which drains
from sugar during its formation. In baking cakes remember that
those containing molasses burn quicker than others.
Flour. — Pastry Flour (that is " old process" or St. Louis flour) is
much the best for all kinds of cake. It contains more starch and less
gluten than the new process flour. A trifle less flour (about ^ less)
must be used if it is new process. Be sure the flour is dry; sift it be-
fore using, and if it is cold, warm it slightly. Measure it after be-
ing sifted. The baking powder or cream of tartar should be sifted
into it.
Page 265
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Materials for cake. — These should always be of the best quality, as cake is a luxury, and if served at all should be made of the best ingredients. Have everything perfectly dry, as dampness in the materials is almost certain to produce heaviness in the cake. It is best to have each ingredient properly prepared before beginning to mix the cake, and in cold weather warm them to a uniform temperature and they will mix better. While all the materials should be good, however, many cooks are needlessly extravagant in their use of butter and eggs, and we commend to our readers the economical recipes which we have gathered together in this, as in other departments of the book.
Butter used in cake making should be free from rancidity. In cold weather let it stand near the stove to soften, but most cake makers agree that it should not melt. It must be worked and beaten with the sugar until it is thoroughly creamed. Many cooks use moderately salted butter without washing, as the small amount of salt which it contains adds to the flavor of the cake, but if it is excessively salted the washing process is indispensable. To wash butter it must be thoroughly worked with the hands in a deep pan or pail of water until it is soft and pasty, changing the water once or twice if needed. In cold weather the water may be slightly warmed, but in summer it should be cold.
Sugar should always be dry and well powdered. For delicate cakes, pulverized or the finest grades of granulated sugar should be used. Some kinds of fruit cake have a fine flavor imparted by using a good quality of unrefined brown sugar, and brown sugar is suita-
ble for most dark cakes. Cake is made heavy by using very coarse granulated sugar. Lumpy sugar should always be crushed and sifted.
For many of the finer cakes coffee "A" sugar produces better results than any other kind.
Molasses for cooking should be the rich, dark New Orleans or West India molasses. Light colored syrups are sometimes made of glucose and are inferior, being less sweet than that drained from crude sugar, these grades being the viscid, brown liquid which drains from sugar during its formation. In baking cakes remember that those containing molasses burn quicker than others.
Flour. — Pastry Flour (that is " old process" or St. Louis flour) is much the best for all kinds of cake. It contains more starch and less gluten than the new process flour. A trifle less flour (about ^ less) must be used if it is new process. Be sure the flour is dry; sift it before using, and if it is cold, warm it slightly. Measure it after being sifted. The baking powder or cream of tartar should be sifted into it.