The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1912-12-28
Baking a Cake.
By
+. 6.
C..s:s IS

Mother always makes the Christmas
fruit cake early in November.
I ~ it was just about that time when
was at home last, and rs am now !:
member OF the Domestic Science De
partment of the st. Joseph High School
she thought to do me honor, AMI along
with II givs little home training, too,
10y letting mt make this cake.
L was very much overcome by the sense
al RESI- onsiDi!ity, eycn ii am Domestic
Science pupil, have been for such a
short time. A. We are beginners. our
TEACHER thinks W. ara Only wpr.iy %.
being taught To fry eggs III hot grease la
a frying pan, and you know making 4
fruit cake is little more diiiicnlt taSi
put on a bold front AMI Il great gi:ir-
ham apron, and hravely began. All the
morning was spent in picking oul nuts
two full pounds, seeding AZ mura
weight OF raisins, washing three pnund
of currants and slicing sixteen ounces %,
citron. When these were prepared put
the ingredients into mixing bowl, dust
ed them well with flour. and set all aside
until after dinner, when | should lie
| "rady 10 b'1in again.
After rest and reiTeShmnnt, | went to
work. The rgrripe said the four must
he Drowned, and as WAS following di-
rection closely, ! proposed to do it.
| wanted to use to advantage all of my
! time, SO, while the -four was burning, !
began to crack and whip the eggs. This
was terrible task. There were twelve
eggs, and the whites and yolks had to
be separated. In spite of all my care the
yolks would slip into the dish with the
whites. At last they were all straight,
and began beating them, when alas,
detected the odor OF burnt -four dropped
the egg beaIer in di>may, ran qulckl, To
| the stove and threw open the oven door.
Instead of the delicatcly Drowned -four
that the recipe called for, IA pound OF
black dust greeted my eyes.
Imagine, il you can, my distress and
my screams for mother to the rescue.
She came, GAINED my fears, cooled the
oven, suggested that get another pound
of flour and begin all over again. This
time | resolved to pay strict attention to
only one thing at time, so the flour
Drowned to beautiful tint, and took
it out of the oven, added nutmeg, CHINA
mon, cloves and aIlspice, a generous por-
ton of each
The fruit and spices We're added when
a pound of sugar and one of butter had
ben blended into creamy mass. The
nuts and glass of brandy, teaspoonful
of lemon and vanilla extract each, were
followed by a foamy mass of soda and
vinegar, beaten vigorously. Into the pans
went buttercd paper and then the batter,
Ia the making of which all climates and
countries had contributed share.
With 4 few mistakes, after a har,l day :
work, and with sigh oi relief. | closed
the oven door, and departed for the
house where / could talk to the family
instead OF reading cook books. | re-
turned at intervals during the four hour
process OF baking. At the end of that
time, after much anxiety and careful
watching, ! took from the stove Il cake
that would have done credit to the chef
ot Her Majesty the Queen. fitting my
treasure at an angle for cooling, lett
my Christmas cake on the table and
closed the pantry door. When returned
i'll the morning not a vestige, nor crumb,
was there. 1t was food fit for the gods,
but | doubt they stole it away. | rubbed
my eyes and rackcd my brain to discover
if this experience had been dream. 1t
was all so real and my success such a
matter of pride to me that | am loath to
believe the cake dream cake, a product
OF my fancy.