Delicate Cup Cake

This cake contains no soda or baking-powder, and to make it light requires the incorporation of as much air as possible. In order to accomplish this, it should be put together in the same manner as directed for batter breads (page 50). Have all material measured and everything in readiness before beginning to put the cake together; then beat together the yolk of one egg, one cup of sugar, and one cup of very cold sweet cream, until all of a foam; add a little grated lemon rind for flavoring; stir in slowly, beating briskly all the time, two cups of granular white flour (sometimes termed gluten flour), graham flour, or wheat-meal. When all the flour is added, add lastly the beaten whites of two eggs, stirring just enough to mix them well throughout the whole; turn at once into slightly heated gem-irons which have been previously oiled, and bake in a moderately quick oven. If made according to directions, this cake will be very light and delicate. It will not puff up much above its first proportions, but will be light throughout.

A nice cake may be prepared in the same manner with graham flour or wheat-meal or even white flour, by the addition of a heaping tablespoonful of corn-starch or maizena sifted into the flour, in the way in which baking-powder is ordinarily mixed with flour before using.

Plain Buns

These are the simplest of all cakes. Dissolve half of a small cake of compressed yeast in a cup of thin cream which has been previously warmed to blood heat, add two cups of warm flour, and beat thoroughly together. Put in a warm place, and let it rise till very light. Add three tablespoonfuls of sugar mixed well with a half cup of warm flour, one-half cup of Zante currants, and sufficient flour to make of the consistency of dough. Buns should be kneaded just as soft as possible, and from fifteen to twenty minutes. Shape into biscuits a little larger than an English walnut, and place on tins far enough apart so they will not touch each other when risen. Put in a warm place till they have risen to twice their first size, then bake in a moderately quick oven. If desired, the currants may be omitted and a little grated lemon rind for flavoring added with the sugar, or a bit of citron may be placed in the top of each bun when shaping. When taken from the oven, sprinkle the top of each with moist sugar, if desired, or glaze by brushing with milk while baking.

Sponge Cake

For this will be required four eggs, one cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of lemon juice with a little of the grated rind, and one cup of white flour. Success in the making of sponge cake depends almost wholly upon the manner in which it is put together. Beat the yolks of the eggs until very light and thick, then add the sugar little by little, beating it in thoroughly; add the lemon juice and the grated rind. Beat the whites of the eggs until perfectly stiff and firm, and fold or chop them very lightly into the yolk mixture. Sift the flour with a sifter little by little over the mixture and fold it carefully in. On no account stir in either the white of the eggs or the flour, since stirring will drive out the air which has been beaten into the egg. Do not beat after the flour is added. The cake, when the flour is all in, should be stiff and spongy. If it is liquid in character, it will be apt to be tough, and may be considered a failure. Bake in a shallow pan in a rather hot oven fifteen or twenty minutes.