Cakes should be regarded as confection and eaten as such.

War Cake

1 cup molasses 1 cup corn syrup

1 ½ cups boiling water

2 cups raisins

2 tablespoons fat

1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon cloves ½ teaspoon nutmeg

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

Boil first 9 ingredients. Cool, add the flour sifted with the soda and baking-powder. Drop into well-greased loaf tins. Bake 45 minutes in a moderately hot oven. Make 2 loaves.

Plain Cake

1/3 cup fat 1 cup sugar 3 egg yolks

2/3 cup milk

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking-powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream the fat, add sugar gradually and continue to cream until the mixture is creamy. Add the well-beaten yolks, the milk alternately with the flour mixed and sifted with the baking-powder and salt. Beat mixture thoroughly. Fold in the stiffly beaten whites and vanilla. Bake in a loaf or layers.

Chocolate Cake

Make same as Plain Cake, adding one square melted chocolate cooked with 2 tablespoons boiling water, to the fat and sugar mixture.

Marble Cake

Make same as Plain Cake, adding ½ square melted chocolate cooked with 1 tablespoon boiling water, to ½ of the batter. Arrange spoonfuls of dark and white mixtures in a well-greased pan.

Fig Cake

Make same as Plain Cake. Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ½ cup finely-chopped figs to 1/3 of the batter. Bake this in 1 layer and the remaining 2/3 in 2 layers. When done, put fig layer between the other two, a layer of frosting between each.

Light Fruit Cake

Make same as Plain Cake, adding ¼ cup finely-cut citron, ¼ cup currants, ¼ cup raisins and ¼ cup finely-chopped nuts.

Nut Cake

Make same as Plain Cake, adding 1 cup nut meats and 2 tablespoons less shortening.

Chocolate Cake

½ cup fat

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

1½ cups flour

2½ teaspoons baking-powder

2 squares chocolate ½ teaspoon vanilla

Cream the fat; add sugar gradually, eggs well beaten and milk. Add flour mixed and sifted with baking-powder. Beat thoroughly, then add chocolate and vanilla. Bake in layers. Frost with White Mountain Cream frosting to which 3 tablespoons of grated chocolate have been added. One cup molasses may be substituted for the sugar, using only 3 tablespoons milk, adding ¼ teaspoon soda and substituting rye flour for the white.

Apple Sauce Cake

1 cup sugar 3 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon cloves 1½ cups unsweetened

apple sauce mixed with 2 teaspoons soda ¾ cup raisins

¼ cup currants dredged with

2 tablespoons flour 2½ cups flour ½ cup melted butter

Measure ingredients in order given in a bowl. Beat vigorously. Bake in a well-greased loaf tin.

Quick Cake

½ cup soft fat (scant)

1 1/3 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ pound dates or 1 cup raisins

1 2/3 cups bread flour 3 teaspoons baking-powder ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Mix and sift

Put ingredients in bowl in order given, and do not stir until all have been added. Beat for 3 minutes. Bake in a buttered or greased pan from 35 to 45 minutes. May be baked in muffin tins. One-quarter cup cocoa may be added.

Sour Cream Cake

1½ cups sour cream 1½ cups sugar

3 eggs, well beaten 2 ½ cups flour

2¼ teaspoons baking-powder 2/3 teaspoon soda

Measure ingredients in order given, sifting flour, baking-powder and soda. Beat thoroughly. Bake.

Cocoanut Fruit Cake

½ cup fat

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup grated cocoanut

2/3 cup chopped almonds

¼ cup candied orange peel 3 beaten whites of eggs 1½ cups flour ¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking-powder ¼ teaspoon vanilla

Cream the shortening, add sugar gradually, the cocoanut, almonds, orange peel and vanilla. Alternate the flour sifted with the salt and baking-powder with the milk. Beat, fold in the egg whites. Bake in a loaf tin, in a moderate oven, about 30 minutes.

Cakes Without Fat Cheap Sponge Cake

Yolks 2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons hot water

2/3 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking-powder

1/6 teaspoon salt

Whites 2 eggs

½ tablespoon vinegar

Beat yolks until thick. Add sugar gradually and continue beating. Then add water, flour mixed and sifted with the baking-powder and salt. Fold in the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs and vinegar. Bake 35 minutes, in a moderate oven, in an unbuttered or a buttered and floured cake pan.

Cream Sponge Cake

Yolks 4 eggs

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cold water

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

1 scant cup of flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking-powder

1 teaspn. lemon extract ¼ teaspoon salt Whites 4 eggs

Beat yolks until thick; add sugar gradually and beat 2 minutes. Then add water. Mix and sift cornstarch, flour, baking-powder and salt, and add to first mixture. Fold in stiffly-beaten whites and flavoring. Bake about 20 minutes in a moderate oven. This cake may be made with 2 eggs, and using 2 additional teaspoons of baking-powder and 2 additional tablespoons water.

Martha Washington Pie

Bake cream of sponge cake mixture in 2 layers. Cool; fill between layers and spread on top with whipped cream, sweetened and flavored with vanilla.

Cake Frostings And Fillings

Good frosting requires as much skill in making as candy. Boiled frostings are more delicious than those made with confectioners' sugar. When sugar is scarce, omit frostings on cakes, and use fillings only.