CHAPTER XV.

RICH CAKES.

_Old Hartford Election Cake (100 years old)._

Five pounds of dried and sifted flour.

Two pounds of butter.

Two pounds of sugar.

Three gills of distillery yeast, or twice the quantity of home-brewed.

Four eggs.

A gill of wine and a gill of brandy.

Half an ounce of nutmegs, and two pounds of fruit.

A quart of milk.

Rub the butter very fine into the flour, add half the sugar, then the yeast, then half the milk, hot in winter, and blood warm in summer, then the eggs well beaten, the wine, and the remainder of the milk. Beat it well, and let it stand to rise all night. Beat it well in the morning, adding the brandy, the sugar, and the spice. Let it rise three or four hours, till very light. When you put the wood into the oven, put the cake in buttered pans, and put in the fruit as directed previously. If you wish it richer, add a pound of citron.

_Raised Loaf Cake._

Six pounds of dried and sifted flour.

Three pounds of sugar.

Two pounds and a half of butter.

Four eggs, and two pounds of raisins.

Four nutmegs.

Two gills of wine, and two gills of brandy.

In the afternoon, mix the butter and sugar, take half of it and rub into the flour; take about a quart of milk, blood warm, put the yeast into the flour, then wet it up. When fully light, add the rest of the butter and sugar, beat the eggs, and put them in, and set the whole to rise till morning. Add the brandy, wine, and spice, in the morning, and put it in the pans. The fruit is to be added in this way:--First dredge it with flour, then put in enough cake to cover the bottom of the pans, then sprinkle some fruit, and do not let any of it rest against the pan, as it burns, and is thus wasted. Then continue to add a layer of fruit and a layer of cake, having no fruit on the top. This saves those that usually burn on the pan, and secures a more equal distribution.

_Mrs. H.’s Raised Wedding Cake (very fine)._

Nine pounds of dried and sifted flour.

Four and a half pounds of white sugar.

Four and a half pounds of butter.

Two quarts of scalded milk.

One quart of the yeast, fresh made as below.

Six eggs.

Six pounds of raisins.

Two pounds of citron.

One ounce of mace.

One gill of brandy.

One gill of wine.

Put the ingredients together as directed in the Raised Loaf Cake.

_Yeast for the above Cake._

Nine large potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed fine.

One quart of water, a very small pinch of hops.

Boil all together, strain through a sieve, add a small tea-cup of flour, and, when blood warm, half a pint of distillery yeast, or twice as much home-brewed. Strain again, and let it work till very light and foaming.

_Fruit Cake, or Black Cake._

One pound of powdered white sugar.

Three quarters of a pound of butter.

One pound of flour, sifted.

Twelve eggs.

Two pounds of raisins, stoned, and part of them chopped.

Two pounds of currants, carefully cleaned.

Half a pound of citron, cut into strips.

A quarter of an ounce each, of cinnamon, nutmegs, and cloves, mixed.

One wine-glass of wine, and one wine-glass of brandy.

Rub the butter and sugar together, then add the yolks of the eggs, part of the flour, the spice, and the whites of the eggs well beaten, then add the remainder of the flour, and the wine and brandy. Mix all thoroughly together. Cover the bottom and sides of two square tin pans with white paper, well buttered, pour the mixture in, adding the fruit as formerly directed, first dredging it with flour, and bake four hours. After it is taken from the oven, and a little cooled, ice it thickly.

_Pound Cake._

One pound of powdered loaf sugar.

One pound of sifted flour.

Three quarters of a pound of fresh butter.

Eight eggs, and one nutmeg.

Rub the butter and sugar together until very light, then add the yolks of the eggs, the spice, and part of the flour. Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir in with the remainder of the flour. Mix all well together, and bake in small tins, icing the cakes when they are a little warm.

_French Loaf Cake._

Five cups of powdered sugar.

Three cups of fresh butter.

Two cups of milk.

Six eggs.

Ten cups of dried and sifted flour.

One wine-glass of wine, one wine-glass of brandy.

Three nutmegs, a small teaspoonful of pearlash.

One pound of raisins, a quarter of a pound of citron.

Stir the sugar and butter to a cream, then add part of the flour, with the milk a little warm, and the beaten yolks of the eggs. Then add, with the remainder of the flour, the whites of the eggs well beaten, the spice, wine, brandy, and pearlash. Mix all thoroughly together, add the fruit, as you put it into the pans. This will make four loaves. Bake about an hour, and then ice them.

_Portugal Cake._

One pound powdered loaf sugar.

One pound of dried and sifted flour.

Half a pound of butter.

Eight eggs.

Two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, or white wine.

One pound of fruit.

One nutmeg.

One and a half pounds of almonds, weighed before shelling.

Stir the butter and sugar to a cream. Beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately. Then, by degrees, put in the flour, and add the lemon juice last, stirring all lightly together. If almonds are to be used, they should be blanched. Pound the almonds, or cut into shreds.

_Golden Cake._

This and the following cake are named from gold and silver, on account of their color as well as their excellence.

They should be made together, so as to use both portions of the eggs.

To make _golden cake_, take

One pound of flour, dried and sifted.

One pound of sugar.

Three quarters of a pound of butter.

The yolks of fourteen eggs.

The yellow part of two lemons grated, and the juice also.

Beat the sugar and butter to a cream, and add the yolks, well beaten and strained. Then add the lemon peel and flour, and a teaspoonful of sal volatile, dissolved in a little hot water. Beat it well, and just before putting it into the oven add the lemon juice, beating it in very thoroughly.

Bake in square flat pans, ice it thickly, and cut it in square pieces. It looks finely on a dish with the silver cake.

_Silver Cake._

One pound of sugar.

Three quarters of a pound of dried and sifted flour.

Six ounces of butter.

Mace and citron.

The whites of fourteen eggs.

Beat the sugar and butter to a cream, add the whites cut to a stiff froth, and then the flour. It is a beautiful-looking cake.

_Shrewsbury Cake._

One pound of dried and sifted flour.

Three quarters of a pound of powdered sugar.

Half a pound of butter.

Five eggs.

Rose water, or grated lemon peel.

Stir the butter and sugar to a cream. Then add the eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, and add the flour.

_Queen’s Cake._

One pound of dried and sifted flour.

One pound of sugar.

Half a pound of butter.

Four eggs. One nutmeg.

One gill of wine.

One gill of brandy.

One gill of thin cream.

One pound of fruit.

Rub the butter and sugar together. Beat separately the yolks and whites of the eggs. Mix all the ingredients, except the flour and fruit, which must be put in just before putting in the oven. This makes two three-pint pans full. It requires one hour and a half to bake.

_Crullars._

Five cups of flour.

One cup of butter.

Two cups of sugar.

Four eggs.

One spoonful of rose water. Nutmeg.

Rub the butter and sugar together, add the eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, then the flour. Roll into a sheet about half an inch thick, cut this with a jagging-iron into long narrow strips. Twist them into various shapes, and fry them in hot lard, of a light brown. The fat must be abundant in quantity, and very hot, to prevent the lard from soaking into the cake.

_Lemon Cake.--No. 2._

One pound of dried and sifted flour.

One pound of sugar.

Three quarters of a pound of butter.

Seven eggs.

The juice of one lemon, and the peel of two.

This makes two loaves.

Beat and strain the yolks, cut the whites hard, work the butter and sugar to a cream. Fruit if wished. A tumbler and a half of currants is enough.

This is richer than No. 1, and keeps well.

_Almond Cake._

One pound of sifted sugar.

The yolks of twelve eggs, beat and mixed with the sugar.

The whites of nine eggs, added to the above in a stiff froth.

A pound of dried and sifted flour, mixed after the above has been stirred ten minutes.

Half a pound of sweet almonds, and half a dozen bitter ones, blanched and pounded with rose water to a cream.

Six tablespoonfuls of thick cream. Use the reserved whites of eggs for frosting.

This makes one large, or two small loaves.

_Lemon Drop Cakes._

Three heaping tablespoonfuls of sifted white sugar.

A tablespoonful of sifted flour.

The grated rinds of three lemons.

The white of one egg well beaten; all mixed.

Drop on buttered paper, and bake in a moderate oven.

_Jelly Cake._

Half a pound of sifted white sugar.

Six ounces of butter.

Eight eggs, whites beat to a stiff froth. Yolks beat and strained.

Juice and grated rind of one lemon.

One pound of dried and sifted flour.

Work the butter and sugar to a cream. Add the eggs, then the flour, and then the lemon juice. Butter tin scolloped pans, and put in this a quarter of an inch thick. Bake a light brown, and pile them in layers, with jelly or marmelade between.

_Cocoanut Drops._

One pound grated cocoanut, only the white part.

One pound sifted white sugar.

The whites of six eggs, cut to a stiff froth.

You must have enough whites of eggs to wet the whole stiff.

Drop on buttered plates the size of a cent, and bake immediately.

_Sugar Drops._

Twelve spoonfuls of butter.

Twenty-four spoonfuls of sifted white sugar.

A pint of sifted flour.

Half a nutmeg, and three eggs, the whites beaten separately.

Mix the butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs, then the flour, drop on buttered tins, and put sugar plums on the top. Bake ten or fifteen minutes.