Evening star., 1915-02-14
BIRTHDAY CAKES.

| A Ny kind of cake dough can be used
~ for this cake. but bake in gem
pans or small tins, and in the top of
each cake put a small china doll. the
two-inch kind. leaving over half the
body above the cake. The dolls should
be put in when the dough- is firm
enough to hold them erect. After ar
| ranging the cakes on round plate In
pyramid form. place on top one colored
doll. Such plate Of cakes may make
| the centerpiece on the table at chill
drens birthday party.
| A frosted cake decorated with turtles
makes an unusual feature for child's
birthday party. The turtles are made
Of prunes. dropped into hot water to
soften and swell them out. These serve
| for the body or shell of the turtles.
| Take six perfect cloves and stick one
at the end OF each prune, with the big
clove-end left out for the head. Put
| another with the small end left out for
the tail. Stick two on each side of the
| prune with the pointed ends out for
the feet. The turtles show up best on
| white frosting.
| Mix together one-half cup of butter
half cup of molasses and one-half cup
| of milk in which a quarter of a tea
spoonful of soda has been dissolved.
! and beat well. Next add one beaten egg
| teaspoonful of salt and two teaspoon
| fuls of baking powder. When well
mixed. add more -four to make stiff
! dough. Roll out in sheet on the
molding board. and with a regular
| cooky-cutter or a pasteboard pattern
and knife cut out horses and soldiers
Put in currants for eyes, take up care
fully with a pancake turner and lay on
| a buttered dripping pan. but without
lcrowding. Bake in a moderate oven.
Take one small cup Of light brown
! sugar. one tablespoonful of butter or
| lard and one pint of pastry flour. Rub
the butter and sugar into the flour
| with the fingers. With beaten egg fla
| vored with vanilla, wet to a paste. suf-
ficient to roll out thin. Cut into shape
with a cardboard form bunnies or
| other animals. insert bits of raisins
for eyes and bake to a light brown.
| For sponge cake that Is delicious and
different separate the whites and yolks
of four eggs, beating the whites very
stiff. In another bowl mix the yolks
with one cup of sugar, half powdered
Instead of the usual hot water. add to
the whites a tablespoonful of cream,
stirring gently, and mix with the yolks
and sugar. Add an even tablespoonful
of baking powder to cup Of flour. and
| whip 1t lightly through the mixture
Flavor with vanilla or other extract
Bake for half hour in moderately
hot oven. To serve, cut into animal or
other odd shapes and powder with
sugar.
Here is a new idea for decorating a
big loaf cake for a children's party
Bake your loaf from any good recipe
| Purchase the same number or penny
china dolls as you have little guests
Dress the dolls in crepe paper of the
! colors you are using in your decora-
tion, tying sashes of baby ribbon under
their arms. Make their. dresses stand
out in gay rufiies. as II they were
dancing. When the cake frosting is al
most dry press the little dolls feet into
1t so that the dolls will stand alone al
equal distances apart around the cake
When 1t is cut each child will have a
slice and one of the dolls. which may
be pinned by its sash to the little
guests frock, and taken home as 8
souvenir.
Placing candles on birthday cakes is
always a problem, when the regular
candle holders are unobtainable. If q
long hatpin Is heated and the poin,
. pushed up into the candle end for abou,
, an inch, then pulled out and tooth.
! pick inserted and allowed to harder
, there. the part of the toothpick not ir
: the candle may be stuck in the cake
Candles may be arranged in any way
, by this method, and will be firmly SCI
to protect the cake from the melted
candle grease. The paper caps used fol
+ candy may be fixed under the candle
= ends.
Another way to arrange candles Is t.
q put the birthday cake in a plate o.
!, platter large enough to leave a margin
a Of an inch or SO around the cake. A
h put generous drop of melted paraff1n
}. or parawax. then Immediately set /;
:. candle in each drop. The candles will
! stand firmly and the melting wax will
not harm the cake, which 10 also NOR
r conveniently cut.