The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-12-03
THE WEDDING CAKE
CORRECTION REQUIRES MUCH
CARE AND TIME.
Fundamental Rules to be Observed in
the Preparation Of This Most Inn
portant Adjunct TO the Mar
riage Feast.

In getting ready for the wedding
cake. 1t Is easier to prepare the fruit
a day or two ahead Of the baking.
Weigh, after seeding. two pounds Of
raisins; clean two pounds Of currants
by rubbing In -four; shave fine pound
and a half of citron. keeping Il sepa-
rate from the other fruit; shred two
ounces each candied orange and lemon
peel and chop fine one pound sweet
almonds that have been blanched and
dried: mix together thoroughly, ex-
icepting the citron. and dredge well
with -four, using about a half cup.
The next morning you can finish mix
ing the cake, then set away over
night In a cold place to ripen, or bake
the same day. as preferred A cele-
brated wedding cake baker in> Boston
always mixes her cakes the day be
fore baking; and just here let me eau
ton you about the baking itself. No
matter how rich the ingredients are
and how carefully put together i'm
proper baking spoils everything; II
baked too fast the cake will be an
ugly brown instead of black. Do not
try to bake fruit cake in the oven
OF a gas range If you can possibly
avoid IL; the heat Is too intense. Five
hours slow baking is about the time
required for the proper baking Of a
wedding cake. It should not rise
quickly, like a cup or sponge cake,
but slowly swell while the rich fruit
juices permeate the whole There
must be slow baking to have the cake
as 1t should be. black. moist and richly
fragrant. If you find yourself limited
to the gas oven. steam the cake in
steamer until three-fourths done. then
finish In the over with one burner
turned half on.
For a coal fire, bank 1t up to last
six hours with the addition from time
to time of shovel of coal DO not
put on enough to reduce the oven
heat, which should be slow and uni
form. If it shows signs Of baking too
fast, cover with paper and set little
dish of cold water In the oven, chang
ing for cold as 1t gets hot.
And now to return to the mixing.
And first, the dry ingredients.
Into one pound sifted pastry flour
mix thoroughly two teaspoonfuls each
cinnamon and mace. one teaspoonful
each nutmeg and allspice. half a tea
spoonful each salt and cloves.
Next beat TO very light cream one
pound each butter and soft coffee SUI
gar. When light add ~ eggs, one at
time, beating hard between each ad-
iition. 1t will be much easier to do
this beating with the hand. as confec-
tioners do, instead OF with spoon.
When these are well blended add the
siftod flour mixture. alternating with
the moisture, which should include
two tablespoonfuls strained honey or
molasses, as preferred, two ounces
each brandy or port wine, or the rich
fruit syrup from preserved cherries,
peaches or tutti frutti and the juice
OF. one orange and one lemon. Mix
thoroughly and smoothly, then set
away over night In a cold place. The
next morning, when ready to bake,
mix again, turn into pans lined with
several thicknesses of oiled paper Do
not make over three inches in thick
ness, as the batter swells IN the slow
Laking. The citron may be put in
with the other fruit or saved out and
nut In rows across the width of the
pan in the batter. II preferred, few
figs. candied cherries or chopped dates
may be used in place of so many cur
rants. Watch the cake faithfully all
during its baking. not allowing 1t to
brown too rapidly. The oven must
be kept at proper heat by an intelli-
gent use of the stove dampers. II It
seems too hot after the hampers are
all turned of, set pan of cold water
in the oven, changing 1t for fresh as
it grows hot. When done, take from
the oven carefully. set out Of draft
but let 1t stand in the tin until quite
cold
/ AS rich wedding cake improves with
age. It is desirable to make 1t some
time in advance of the ceremony. If
for any reason. however, its baking
has been delayed. the loaves may be
pierced with skewer or knitting
needle and little brandy poured in
to hasten its ripening.