The Portland Woman's Exchange Cook Book

3 lbs. raisins (chopped a little). 2 lbs. currants. 2 lbs. blanched almonds (chopped). Yi lb. citron peel. 1/2 lb. lemon peel. 2 large wineglasses sherry. 1 large wineglass brandy. 1 large wineglass rosewater. 4 nutmegs. 1 large tablespoon cinnamon. 1 teaspoon allspice. 1 teaspoon cloves. 1 large teaspoon baking soda. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, eggs separately, sift spices and soda with flour. Bake 31/2 hours in slow oven. Half this quantity of everything makes a fair-sized threestory cake. Mrs, J. C. Robinson, Plain White Cake. 2 cups sugar. Yi cup butter. 4 whites of eggs, well beaten. 1 cup sweet milk. 3 cups flour. 3 small teaspoons baking powder. Add whites last. Mrs. W, H. Nunn. Walnut Loaf Cake. 1 cup sugar. Vi cup butter. 2 eggs. Yz cup sweet milk. V/i cups flour. 2 level teaspoons baking powder. 1 large chopped walnuts. Vanilla extract. Cream butter and sugar well, adding beaten yolks. Sift baking powder with flour three times and gradually add flour and milk. Beat the whites and fold in, adding floured nuts and extract last. Bake in moderate oven. Mrs, W. H, Nunn. White Cake. 9 whites of eggs. lJ/2 cups granulated sugar. 54 cup butter. 1-3 cup milk. 3 cups pastry flour. 2 teaspoons baking powder. j/2 teaspoon vanilla. Sift flour once and measure; add baking powder and sift three times. Beat whites of eggs, put into creamed butter and eggs, pour in milk without mixing, then flour. Beat hard. Bake in slow oven. Mrs, Roger B, Sinnott, A Good White Cake. 11/2 cups powdered sugar. 21/2 cups flour. 1/2 cup butter. 1/2 cup sweet milk. 6 whites of eggs. 1 teaspoon of cream tartar mixed with the flour. J/2 teaspoon soda dissolved in warm water. Do not let it stay in too hot an oven, and keep an even heat. Allow no one to walk across the floor until cake is baked. Flavor to suit. Mrs, Frederick H, Page. Icings and Fillings Almond Paste. 1 lb. sweet almonds. 6 lbs. bitter almonds. 1 lb. sugar. 2 whites of eggs. If you cannot get the almonds prepared in tins, blanch the almonds, dry them thoroughly and pound them in a mortar, wetting them gradually with the whites of the eggs until they form a smooth paste. Put this in a small preserving pan with the sugar over a clear fire and keep stirring till the paste is dry then take it out of the pan and cool between two dishes. It can then be spread over the top of a cake. Mrs. E. T. C, Stevens, Boiled Icing. \Yi cups sugar. 1-3 cup water. Boil until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water; pour gradually in beaten whites of 2 eggs. Flavor. Beat until cool and of right consistency to spread. G. L. «S. Caramel Filling. XYi cups brown sugar. 2-3 cup sweet milk or cream. Butter size of walnut. Boil 7 or 8 minutes, stirring all the time. Beat with spoon until white and thick, and when cool flavor with vanilla. F. R. Chocolate Filling. Five tablespoons grated chocolate with enough cream or milk to wet it; 1 cup sugar; 1 egg well beaten. Stir ingredients over fire and let boil until thick. Flavor with vanilla. Beat a few minutes and spread on cake when cool. M,S, Almond Icing. Yi lb. of sweet almonds blanched and pulverized. 1 lb. of confectioner's sugar. Mix and beat together and heat in the oven, being careful not to scorch. Make into a paste with the yolks of eggs (use one and perhaps another, according to size). Put on top of cake quite smooth and let dry for 1 hour before putting on the white icing. C. /?. McLeod, Fig Filling. Boil 8 figs (Smyrna the best) in 1 cup of boiling water for 20 minutes, then allow remaining water to evaporate. When cool, chop, and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla.