Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-04-03
BAKING FAVoRITE CAKES.
RY Martha MccuIIoch Williams


Paper bag cooking betters cakes as
much as it does meat or pastry. Please
to keep this fact in mind. Also the
fact that you should never try to make
cakes at haphazard. Instead, take
day or several days off from bridge
and shopping and give your whole
mind to the matter in hand. Decide
first what cakes you care to make.
then reckon up what you will need
to make them of. Many a good cake
has been saddened past all remedy
through waiting at the wrong minute
for some essential ingredient, over
looked in the general buying.
Never melt butter unless melted but
ter Is specifically called for in your
receipt. Set the butter crock outside
the refrigerator for several hours be-
kitchen temperature will make the but
ter just right for dreaming. Keep
eggs coOl-they beat light the quicker
for it. Always add a tiny pinch OF
salt to the whites in beginning to
froth them-it makes the frothing
easier and improves the taste. Eggs,
it Is need sss to say, must be above
suspicion. Sift -four and set it where
1t will get warm and dry without
scorching. then sift It again before
using 1t. Measure it after the second
sitting, and If baking powder or soda
and cream tartar are to be put in it,
add them to the measured bulk, and
sift third time.
Cake must be beaten we'll. and thor
oughly, If you want 1t firm. yet light,
and OF fine, close texture. Sweet milk
helps to this fine texture. Sour milk
or cream, contrarywise. tends to q
coarse, bubbly grain.
Prepare fruit over night, If possible.
washing and drying 1t well.
Two such favors as lemon and va
nilla, vanilla and rose-water, or rose
water and almond, give to cake tang
as delicious as 1t Is unusual. A spoon
full Of brandy or even a good corn
whiskey, beaten well through the cake
just before the fiavOring-which
should be put in the very last thing
will make the cake lighter, better col
ored, and Of better keeping quality.
Sift spices through part Of the -four.
adding the spiced -four alternately
with what is left plain. Always sift
sugar, and more than once If 1t is
clammy. Warming it gently helps to
make light cake. 1t should be sifted
afresh after the warming.
AS I have said, paper bag cooking
betters cake as much as it does meat
or pastry. 1t can be done in the bags,
but l advise using in conjunction with
the bags either paper souffle-cases or
very thin tin moulds, square, oblong,
or round, or cases made from the bags
themselves.
To make a square paper-bag mould,
split in half bag of the largest size,
crease each half gently all round about
three inches from the cut edges, and
fold up each corner neatly, clipping
the folds firmly with two or even three
clips. Brush over this mould literally
with soft butter, taking care to cover
every fiber. Fill three parts with cake
batter, then slip the loaded mould
inside a big creased bag which rests
upon wire trivet. Seal the outer bag,
taking care that it does not press
down the empty upper edges Of the
mould inside, prick two or three small
holes In its upper side, and set the
trivet on the broiler In a very hot
oven. Put on the shelf above 1t a
shallow pan filled half way with boil
ing water, and on the floor underneath
pan with little cold water. Close
the oven door and leave for ten min
utes. Take out the water pans then,
and after two or three minutes slack
heat one-half and finish baking. The
time will, OF course, depend on the
size and kind Of cake.
Paper bag baking is little quicker,
and ever so much more certain.
Small patty pans, or fancy-shaped
muffin moulds, filled with cake batter
and baked inside bags, will afford an
almost infinite variety of ornamented
good things.
Copyright, 1911, by the Associated
Literary Press.)