The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-08
CHRISTMAS CAKES.
Women who Follow These Recipes
Carefully Need Never Fear Refer
ences to "The Cake My Mother
Used to Make"


of strengthening the digestion of the
average American, and the observant
housewife finds that she may recall
many of the rich goodies which for a
long time have been banished from the
family table. Friends. both in town
and country, are constantly popping III
after q spin OF several miles on the
wheel. They are hungry and nave the
home stretch before them, and shce
after slice of bread and butter, cup
or two of tea or chocolate, need a hnlSn
of in the way of cake. Plum CAKE ms
2, hospitable soul with delight, py It's
generous appearance, and there is after
all very little more labor in its making
than on ordinary cup cake once Ihaoe'
it will keen indefinitely, and as MOTH
ing so delights children as having a
hand in holiday preparations the older
ones, boys and girls, should be al
lowed TO help in the preparations the
day or evening before. Stoneless rails
ins are all very well for the unfortun-
ates who have not plenty OF Wiling
young fingers to call upon, but the big
plump clusters, with but few seeds
after ali, so well favored. and good TO
look upon, that are just now seen IN the
market, seem to have been grown on
purpose for holiday feasts this year,
and give a richer look to cake, plum
pudding, and mince meat, than the
little pale ones, guiltless of stones
though they be- TIE sooner the fruit
cake is made the better, as it will not
cut we'll for the holidays unless at least
a few days old.
PRELIMINARIES OF MAKING.
A pound of each ingredient will make
a large cake to be baked in a milk
pan. that is. one that holds about four
quarts, and this size will be found TO
cut more economically and tC keep
better than a Sup2 Her size Those who
try their hands at this good old-fash
toned cake viii ebe surprised to ind how
little the ingredients cost and with
what small trouble it is made, and as
for the baking, there is but slight care
if the oven Is not too hot, and the pre-
caution taken of protecting both top
and bottom of the cake with paper.
Another word as TO fruit, before pro-
ceeding to the cakemaking proper.
Cover the raisins with boiling water
let them swell awhile, and they will
be more tender as well as far easier to
handle, as the unpleasant sickness
disappears, also chop or cut only part
of them. as a whole raisin occasionally
not only looks well, but unless one can
put in his thumb and draw out a
plum quite intact, except for he
stones. the cake is never quite perfect
This fact holds true in mince meat and
plum pudding also
MIXING.
With the fruit all in readiness, citron
sliced to the proper shape and thinness
currants washed in many waters, dried
by rolling in a large cloth, then spread
out in shallow pan and put on the
shelf over the range, flour measured
or weighed, eggs beaten mot separate
ly), butter creamed. proceed as follows:
Add TO the pound of butter, which has
been made creamy by beating with a
thin butter ladle Cthis ladle saves time
and labor, a pound of granuated or
brown sugar, beat with the ladle again.
which is as good and more Clearly than
the hand, until well blended, now add
the eggs, which must have been beaten
until creamy looking. beat again, then
stir in thefiour, one pound, which may
have been Drowned a little to give a
dairy look. All is now ready for the
fruit, which must first be busted
through and through lightly with -four
add this and the citron, then sprinkle
over all grated nutmeg, a small tea
spoonful of allspice, two teaspoonsfuI
of cinnamon, half a teasDoonful each
of cloves and mace, and the juice and
chopped rind Of an orange and lemon
and gill of brandy. If the cake is de-
sired a little richer, add a cup or two
of candied cherries and a handful of
chopped almonds. Just at this stage
the strong handed Bridget, or the ath-
letic' son or daughter, must be called
upon to beat all vigorously, and it is
then ready for the pan, lined bottom
and sides with creased paper. the
leaves of large pad are just the thing.
BAKING
Bake for four hours in a moderate
oven, then run straw to the middle
ot the cake, if it comes out damp let il
remain half an hour, then try again
il may take another hour Do not
put the upper layer of paper on the
cake, but lightly on top, not to touch
While the cake is warm give the first
coat Of icing. This keeps it moist, but
it will become discOlored. The last
one may be as elaborate as wished
and all sorts of ornamentation achieved
by squeezing the icing through stiff
paper shaped like a cornicoDia. This
to be put on the day before the cake
is cut
Many people use 2 large-sized angel
cake pan for baking fruit cake. In this
case, as there is a tube, to bake the
center II will take an hour less time.
A HOLIDAY CAKE BASKET.
There is nothing more suggestive of
holiday cheer than that of an old
fashioned low cake basket, with edges
and handle of open work design, con-
tanning slices of dark colored fruit cake
set OF by plenty OF angel or sponge
cake. The former Will be as econom-
zeal as ii is dainty if upon the day
it IS baked q chocolate custard is ar
ranged for. In making this. the custard
viii be as smooth as stone Tapped by
many waters, instead of crumbly and
unSightly, as is too often the case if
the simple precaution is taken of boil
ing the milk before using. and taking
care that the oven is steady and not
too hot. To the yolxs of six eggs well
beaten, add a quart of milk, a cup of
sugar, pinch of salt, four squares Of
chocolate grated, and a TEASPOON ful
OF vanilla, stir al lwell together and
bake about half an hour or until solid
This may be eaten either with or with
out sauce. Whipped cream is delicious
with ii and makes a pretty contrast.
The remaining yolks may be used for
pumpkin pie as the whites are merely
superfious here For the angel cake
proceed as follows:
FOR ANGEL CAKE.
Sift a cup Chalf pint) of -four and
a teaspoonful of cream of tartar five
times through the sitter. This eaer.s q
fussy proceeding, but after 81. is but
a minutes work and the delicacy of
the cake depends on it. Sift also. once.
cup and half of granulated sugar.
Put the whites of II eggs into c deep
bowl. add d pinch of salt. Use always
double wheeled beaten. Do not touch
the bottom Of the bowl. Be brisk and
in half minute or less the eggs should
arollOb RI remain in he ,o,-J