Mysteries Of Baking

Much, after all, depends on the baking. Many a promising cake has been ruined in the oven because there must be so much left to individual judgment. There are no hard-and-fast rules which can be laid down for cake baking. The stereotyped cooking-school rule is helpful. It divides the time into quarters: in the first quarter, the batter rises; in the second quarter it continues to rise and begins to brown; in the third quarter it continues browning; in the fourth quarter it finishes baking and shrinks from pan.

If the oven is too hot the back covers may be raised. It is safer to put a pan of cold water into the oven rather than to put a paper over the cake, as is commonly done to prevent burning. As soon as heated, refill with cold water, if necessary.

Do not move a cake until it is risen to its full height; after that there is no danger of its falling. Open the oven door as often as necessary, provided it be done carefully and slowly. It is the rush of cold air into the oven which causes the cake to fall.

Fruit cake and pound cake are done when they are firm yet springy to the touch. With other cakes, the best test is the shrinking from the pans. Keep the oven heat uniform and do not attempt to use the oven for anything save the cakes. A slow oven causes a coarse-textured cake, while too hot an oven will make the cake crack in the center.

Invert the cake, after baking, on a wire cake rest. If it sticks, loosen around edges with a knife and leave it inverted, to be helped out by its own weight.

If boiled frosting is made, the cake may be hot or cold when it is frosted, but never put an uncooked frosting on a cold cake.

Shaker Nut Cake

One-half cupful of butter, one cupful of light brown sugar, two beaten eggs, one-half cupful of water, one teaspoonful of lemon, one and one-half cupfuls of flour sifted with one teaspoonful of baking powder, one cupful of hickory or butternut meats, coarsely chopped. Bake in three round, shallow pans, in a slow oven. Cool and put together with maple fondant (made with maple sugar like ordinary boiled frosting), ornamenting the top of the loaf with nut meats which have been sparingly sprinkled with salt and baked for ten minutes in a moderate oven. This renders nuts much more toothsome as well as digestible.

Apple Sauce Cake

One cupful of unsweetened apple sauce, one and one-half cupfuls of sugar, one-half cupful of shortening, yolk of one egg, one level teaspoonful of cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful of cloves, one-half level teaspoonful of soda, one level teaspoonful of baking powder, and two cupfuls of flour. Strain apple sauce through a sieve, add the soda, melted shortening, and flour sifted with baking powder and spices. Beat all together thoroughly and bake in two layers. Put together with a simple frosting.

Crispettes

Beat two eggs and stir into them a cupful of white and brown sugar, mixed, and four tablespoonfuls of sifted flour, then a pinch of salt and a teaspoonful of vanilla. Beat thoroughly and add a cupful of English walnuts, chopped fine. Drop the dough by the teaspoonful into buttered pans, allowing three inches for cakes to spread. These are delicious for afternoon tea, or when served with fruit for dessert.