Flavoring: grated lemon -peel, and one nutmeg, or a teaspoonful of mace ground fine. Naples Biscuit. This plain cake has been little seen of late, but was largely used in Virginia of the olden time at the tea-table, or upon the waiter of refreshments that was so universally handed to any visitor who might happen to call at lunch- time. As it is simple and wholesome, we see not why it should go into disuse, and so give the recipe, which closely resembles that for sponge cake : One pound of flour, one YIIWIMA COOKERY-BOOK. 183 pound of pulverized white sugar, ✪ Naples Biscuitand twelve eggs. No flavoring was used, unless the gill of wine, that old-fash- ioned house-keepers considered indispensable to all cake, as an aid to digestion as well as good flavor. Some house- wives left out the yolks of two of the twelve eggs, that the lightness of the whites might predominate. Long, narrow pans were used in baking Naples biscuit, with divisions throughout their length, making the length of the biscuits four inches, and their width one and a half. The excellence of a cake of this sort consisted in its light- ness and crispnesa. Flour lib. Eggs 13 Sugar 1 lb. Wine 1 gill (not necessary). Bbidb's Cake. The whites of fourteen eggs, one pound and a quarter of sugar, one pound and a quarter of butter, one pound and a quarter of flour, one pound of almonds. The al- monds must be beaten to a paste in rose-water. Bake carefully in a slow oven. EuBGANT Black Fbuit Cake. Two pounds of raisins, two pounds of currants, one pound of citron, one pound of almonds, one pound of sugar, one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one dozen eggs, a table-spoonful of mace, a table-spoonful of cin- namon, two nutmegs, one teacupf ul of wine and brandy mixed (this may be left out) ; cut up the raisins and cit- ron, but not too fine ; roll them in flour to separate ; be^-t the fruit into the eggs, after they have been whisked per- fectly light ; also the butter and sugar, after they have been creamed together ; let the flour be lightly stirred in just before putting the cake into the oven. Put embers under the oven, and let it rise three hours ; bake slowly 184 VIRGINIA COOKERY-BOOK. then for three hours more, or until, by trying it with a straw, you find that none of the batter adheres to it ; then draw the oven away from the fire, and let the cake soak at least two hours. If it is very large it will be better to leave it in the chimney- comer all night. Do not cut the almonds more than three times at most, and reserve a portion of the citron to be sliced and stuck in the cake after it is put into the oven. In stick- ing it in let the pieces go down out of sight in the dough, or they will be thrown out in the rising of the cake. Remark, — It will be obvious to all that the above di- rections are for cooking by an open fire, but any person of common-sense can accommodate them to our modern stoves or ranges. Fink Fruit Cakb (More Modem Recipe). Twenty-four eggs, two pounds of butter, two pounds of sugar (brown is preferable), two pounds of flour (browned just as for gravy), four teaspoonfuls of baking powder, four pounds of raisins (weighed after they are stoned), four pounds of currants, two pounds of citron, three nutmegs, one teaspoonful of mace or half a tea- spoonful of allspice, half a teaspoonful of cloves, one gill of good brandy ; mix the batter just as directed above in making pound cake ; then stir in all the fruits, save the raisins and citron ; reserve these, after flouring them well, until you are filling the mould ; put in a two-inch layer of the dough ; then strew over a layer of these fruits, and repeat this until the mould is two-thirds full ; let the heat be gradually applied to it, and when the cake is well risen and slightly colored on top, put a paper over it, and keep it covered so until done, which will require from three to five hours.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Flavoring: grated lemon -peel, and one nutmeg, or a teaspoonful of mace ground fine. Naples Biscuit. This plain cake has been little seen of late, but was largely used in Virginia of the olden time at the tea-table, or upon the waiter of refreshments that was so universally handed to any visitor who might happen to call at lunchtime. As it is simple and wholesome, we see not why it should go into disuse, and so give the recipe, which closely resembles that for sponge cake : One pound of flour, one VIRGINIA COOKERY-BOOK. 183 pound of pulverized white sugar, and twelve eggs. No flavoring was used, unless the gill of wine, that old-fashioned house-keepers considered indispensable to all cake, as an aid to digestion as well as good flavor. Some housewives left out the yolks of two of the twelve eggs, that the lightness of the whites might predominate. Long, narrow pans were used in baking Naples biscuit, with divisions throughout their length, making the length of the biscuits four inches, and their width one and a half. The excellence of a cake of this sort consisted in its lightness and crispness. Flour lib. Eggs 13 Sugar 1 lb. Wine 1 gill (not necessary). Bride's Cake. The whites of fourteen eggs, one pound and a quarter of sugar, one pound and a quarter of butter, one pound and a quarter of flour, one pound of almonds. The almonds must be beaten to a paste in rose-water. Bake carefully in a slow oven. Elegant Black Fruit Cake. Two pounds of raisins, two pounds of currants, one pound of citron, one pound of almonds, one pound of sugar, one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one dozen eggs, a table-spoonful of mace, a table-spoonful of cinnamon, two nutmegs, one teacupful of wine and brandy mixed (this may be left out) ; cut up the raisins and citron, but not too fine ; roll them in flour to separate ; beat the fruit into the eggs, after they have been whisked perfectly light ; also the butter and sugar, after they have been creamed together ; let the flour be lightly stirred in just before putting the cake into the oven. Put embers under the oven, and let it rise three hours ; bake slowly then for three hours more, or until, by trying it with a straw, you find that none of the batter adheres to it ; then draw the oven away from the fire, and let the cake soak at least two hours. If it is very large it will be better to leave it in the chimney- comer all night. Do not cut the almonds more than three times at most, and reserve a portion of the citron to be sliced and stuck in the cake after it is put into the oven. In sticking it in let the pieces go down out of sight in the dough, or they will be thrown out in the rising of the cake. Remark, — It will be obvious to all that the above directions are for cooking by an open fire, but any person of common-sense can accommodate them to our modern stoves or ranges. Fine Fruit Cake (More Modern Recipe). Twenty-four eggs, two pounds of butter, two pounds of sugar (brown is preferable), two pounds of flour (browned just as for gravy), four teaspoonfuls of baking powder, four pounds of raisins (weighed after they are stoned), four pounds of currants, two pounds of citron, three nutmegs, one teaspoonful of mace or half a teaspoonful of allspice, half a teaspoonful of cloves, one gill of good brandy ; mix the batter just as directed above in making pound cake ; then stir in all the fruits, save the raisins and citron ; reserve these, after flouring them well, until you are filling the mould ; put in a two-inch layer of the dough ; then strew over a layer of these fruits, and repeat this until the mould is two-thirds full ; let the heat be gradually applied to it, and when the cake is well risen and slightly colored on top, put a paper over it, and keep it covered so until done, which will require from three to five hours.

Records on this page

Naples BiscuitBride's CakeElegant Black Fruit Cake

Virginia Cookery-book