Cake icings and fillings have improved greatly both in quality and variety from those used a generation ago. Now many of these frostings are as delicate and fine as the creamy French confectionery. A few foundation recipes form the basis for most of these icings and fillings, and when these are once mastered it will be possible to produce almost any variety. The development of these foundation recipes is both interesting and simple. The uncooked icings are the easiest, for very little skill is necessary in their preparation.

The plain confectioner's icing is made of hot water, powdered or confectioner's sugar and flavoring.

Other liquids than water offer a number of variations of this plain recipe. Cream, with vanilla or mocha flavoring, makes a rich, creamy icing; lemon juice may replace a portion of the hot water for lemon icing; pure fruit juices, such as orange, pineapple, etc., make excellent icings and will be found particularly good for sponge cakes. Strong, hot coffee or mocha extract may replace the hot water, making the mocha icing.

When using other liquids than water it is not necessary to heat them. Confectioners' icing will become firm and glossy soon after being spread on the cake. It never becomes hard and "sugary' and keeps for some time, and does not crumble when cut.

Chocolate confectioners' icing may have 1/4 cup of chopped nuts added or equal quantities of chopped nuts and chopped raisins. It may also be changed somewhat by using either vanilla or cinnamon to flavor. This plain foundation recipe has many possibilities for variety and is so quickly and easily made, there need be no waste.

The quantities given in the recipe will ice an average-sized cake. If this quantity is not right for the size cake you wish, a little practice will soon teach you the right proportions. One of the best features of this type of frosting is that you are really unable to spoil it If you have not been accurate in your measurements and the icing is too thick add more liquid until of the right consistency, or if the icing is too thin more sugar may be added.

Butter icings are also uncooked and are very easily prepared. This type of icing is more often used as a cake filling, and is very popular. Unsalted butter will give the best flavored icing, but if salted butter is used it should be well washed in cold water to remove all the salt.

The cooked icings are not quite so easily made. This class of icing has much greater possibilities for variety than the uncooked icing. There are several varieties of boiled icings, but this usually applies to a sugar syrup which has been boiled until the mixture will form a "soft ball" when tested in cold water (about 238 degrees F. on a sugar thermometer), then the syrup is added gradually to the well-beaten white of egg. To test carefully dip a teaspoon into the syrup and drop into cold water. Roll between the fingers under the water. If syrup is sticky it is not cooked enough; if hard it is cooked too long. It should roll in a soft ball. Always use a fresh cup of cold water for each testing.

This icing will never prove a failure if the rules and details of the process are carefully followed. Sugar has a tendency to crystallize and to overcome this, care must be taken when mixing the water and sugar. First add the sugar to the saucepan, then carefully pour over the water, which should be boiling hot, so that the sugar will dissolve at once. Do not stir and cause crystals of sugar to adhere to the sides of the saucepan; simply mix sufficiently to dissolve the sugar, then cover the saucepan and when the syrup reaches the boiling point remove the cover and cook to the soft-ball stage without stirring.

By covering the mixture until boiling point is reached, the steam will wash down any grains of sugar which may have gathered on the sides of the pan. This may sound complicated, but is really very simple, and if these precautions are taken and the syrup cooked to the "soft-ball" stage, the finished icing will be creamy. If these rules are not followed, if the syrup is stirred while cooking, or if cooked too long, the icing will be hard and "sugary."

A very much easier cooked icing is made by cooking the syrup over hot water or in a double boiler. This is called quick icing.

This is a very simple and satisfactory method and if the directions are followed exactly this icing may be used for filling and icings in place of the more complicated boiled frosting.

Note

All measurements are level and flour is sifted once before measuring. One-half pint measuring cup is used.