The two methods of making cake light are by means of air and of gas. Air is introduced by beating, or by the addition of beaten eggs, as in sponge cake. When the lightness is entirely dependent upon air, the whites and yolks of eggs should be beaten separately.

Gas may be generated from within by combining an acid and alkali and adding moisture; as cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda; or sour milk and soda; or molasses and baking powder. The combination of both air and gas is used to raise butter cakes.

General Directions For Cake Making

Before blending the cake, see that the oven is at right temperature for baking and the pans greased with a little beef fat and dredged with flour. The pan may be lined with paper to prevent cake burning on bottom when cake requires long baking or when the oven bakes too quickly on the bottom. Have all material at hand and measured. Use a round bottom bowl, and a wooden spoon for mixing; beat rather than stir the mixture and fold in ingredients. Put mixture in cake pans, slightly higher on the sides than in the center, as cake rises more quickly in the center. Layer cake takes a hotter oven than loaf cake. If cake is baked properly, it will rise, but not brown, during first quarter of the time required for baking; become slightly browned the second quarter; well browned during the third; and shrink from the pan during the fourth.

If the oven is too hot, a crust will form over the top before the cake has risen sufficiently and the cake will break open on the top. If the oven is too cool the cake will rise too much and will be of coarse texture.

Place pans in oven in such position that they may remain and do not move them before the third quarter of the baking. If the top of the cake should brown too quickly cover with a piece of light weight paper, slightly buttered on the one side and next to the cake.

Cake is sufficiently baked when it shrinks slightly from the edge of the pan and feels firm to the touch; if when tested with a fine washed and heated knitting or darning needle and it comes out clear. In looking at cake do not open the oven door • too wide and only for a moment, and care must be taken not to jar the door in closing.

Sponge Cake, 1390 Calories

4 eggs.

1 cup powdered sugar. ¾ cup bread flour. ½ teaspoon salt.

1½ teaspoons Rumford's baking powder. Rind and juice of ½ lemon.

Beat eggs separately, very light. To the yolks add the sugar and lemon, sift in carefully the flour blended with the baking powder and beat about five minutes. Then fold in the whites. Bake in a well-greased and floured angel cake tin in a moderate oven. -Cake is done if when tested with a fine (washed) knitting needle it comes out clear, or when the cake shrinks from the pan.

Cold Water Sponge Cake, 1633 Calories

2 eggs.

1 cup sugar.

6 tablespoons cold water.

1 1/3 cups bread flour.

2 teaspoons Rumford baking powder. 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Beat the yolks and whites separately. To the yolks add the sugar and beat well; add lemon juice and cold water; sift flour and baking powder together three times and add gradually, beating thoroughly.

Fold in the well-beaten whites. Bake in well-greased and floured gem tins, or shallow pan in a moderate oven.

Hot Water Sponge Cake, 1460 Calories

2 eggs. 1 cup sugar. 1 cup bread flour. 1¼ teaspoons Rumford baking powder.

½ saltspoon salt. ½ teaspoon vanilla. ½ cup boiling water.

Beat the eggs very light, add the sugar; sift dry ingredients together and add gradually; add flavoring and beat well. Lastly add the boiling water, and bake in well-greased and floured gem tins, or shallow pan, in a moderate oven.

Plain Cake, 2230 Calories

2 eggs. ½ cup milk. 1 cup sugar.

1½ cups bread flour blended with 2 tablespoons corn-starch.

4 tablespoons butter.

2 teaspoons Rumford baking powder. 1 teaspoon flavoring or spices.

Line the pan with buttered paper; separate eggs. Cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, add the well-beaten yolks and flavoring. Add alternately the milk and the flour with the baking powder sifted in it. Beat well and fold in the stiffly-beaten whites. Put at once in a well-lined and greased pan, and bake in a hot oven about thirty minutes, or until it shrinks from the pan, or until a fine (washed) knitting needle comes out dry.

The cake may be varied by adding one-fourth cup currants, or a few raisins and a little citron, or mixed spices, or a little melted chocolate. Before adding fruit to cake it should be slightly floured.

Gluten Nut Cake (For The Diabetic), 1436 Calories

1 tablespoon butter. Yolks 2 eggs. Whites 2 eggs. % cup sour milk. 1 teaspoon soda.

½ teaspoon Sweetina. Salt and spices. 1 cup nut meats. Gum Gluten Flour.

Cream the butter, add the well-beaten yolks and Sweetina syrup, then the sour milk in which the soda has been blended. Add Gum Gluten Flour gradually to make a stiff batter;

1 Without gluten flour.

Season with salt and spices and add nut meats. Bake in moderate oven.

Boiled Frosting, 853 Calories

1 cup sugar.

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar.

1/3 cup cold water.

White 1 egg.

¼ teaspoon flavoring.

Boil the sugar, cream of tartar and cold water without stirring until it threads from spoon, and gradually pour on to the well-beaten white of egg. Add any flavoring to taste. Beat until thick and spread quickly. A little chocolate may be added for variety, or chopped nuts or cocoanut, etc.