"Wouldst thou both eat thy cake and have it ?"

- Herbert.

General Rules for Mixing.

It is well in cake-making to beat the butter and sugar to a cream; then beat the eggs separately and mix them together, adding them to the butter and sugar; after this has been well mixed, add the milk and seasoning, and, lastly, sift in the flour and powders. A wooden cake tray or eathenware vessel is best for mixing cake and beating eggs. All fruits should be thoroughly cleansed and dried before flouring. Cut raisins in half, shred cocoanuts, slice almonds and citron, and then they are ready for use. A very good way to tell when cake has baked enough is to run a small broom splint through it. If the dough does not stick to it the cake has finished baking and can come out of the oven, unless it is a large cake, when it should stay in awhile longer to thoroughly soak. Always set the pans on small pie-pans to prevent burning, and place a bread-pan filled with water over them to keep from baking on top before they rise. In baking layer cakes you can tell when to take them out of the stove by placing the pan close to your ear. If they sing they are not done, and must be baked until they stop.