The Washington times., 1927-04-11
Sake and cling Secrets By Margaret B. Evans,

not to have some fruit cake, pound
cake or cookies in the house. No
guest was allowed to depart without
having received q bite to eat. The
cooks of those days made quite a
solemn occasion out of cake. baking
days but today we go into our two
by four kitchens, STIR up a cake and
bake ii in very short time.
Cakes quite naturally divide them
selves In two types, those made
without any shortening and those
made with shortening.
Regardless OF the kind or type Of
cake made there are a few funda.
mental rules that must be followed
II one Is to- be successful In the
first place only the best ingredients
should be used. BY this I mean
all should be fresh and clean They
should be carefully and accurately
measured, combined carefully and
baked carefully. The ingredients
are composed. Of flour, eggs. a
liquid, sugar and possibly a leaven.
ing agent or fat with a flavor
ing. The flour may he of any brand
desired, of course, but a true pastry
flour Island is recommended as
that which gives a fine textured
and lighter cake. Many housewives
do not find 1t convenient to keep
the two flours on hand. so by sub.
stituting pound cornstarch for
2 pounds of bread flour they get
better results. Bread flour alone is
apt to give a coarser cake and q
rather dry one.
The main fact to remember,
though, is to always sift any. flour
before it Is measured. pile 1t lightly
In the measuring cup. but do not
pound the cup. The flour should
be sifted again with the other dry
ingredients at least once and the
more times the better.
The eggs are seldom separated
when only one is used. but when
more are used, one is always safe
in separating them and in beating
the yolks until thick and lemon.
colored, the whites until stiff and
dry.
The liquid In cakes is generally
milk as that gives additional food
value to the cake, although part
milk and part water may be used.
Strong black coffee makes an ex-
cellent liquid to use in a chocolate
cake as 1t does not taste and makes
the cake keep moist longer. Gener-
ally the liquid is added alternately
with the dry ingedients and a wise
suggestion is to rinse the bowl the
eggs yolks have been beaten in
with the liquid.
The sugar Is always graduated
unless the recipe distinctly requires
brown or powd~ I'd sugar.
The leavening agent used may
be one OF three, either air which is
incorporated in the eggs, soda and
sour milk (the combination of an
acidl soda and molasses or baking
powder. There are three varieties
of the latter and one should choose
and use the variety preferred
there is the tartrate powder, the
phosphate powder and the alum
powder.
Experiments In Government and
other laboratories have shown that
any form of fat may be used.
Some say that one pure butter
should be used, but the various
margarines, vegetable oils and
animal fats can be used as sue
cessfully, provided, in the latter
cases, one adds salt to the recipe
and is not so vitality concerned
with the food value of the finished
product as with the cost.
The utensils used and the man.
ner of mixing the cakes are Inn
portant. A wooden spoon for mix
ing is much easier TO hold and
makes less noise when working
than a metal spoon, although a
slotted spoon does play its part in
some instances. for beating es-
pecially. The graduated and stand
ardized measuring cups and spoons
are helpful but not required. Most
Of our present day recipes are
based on these measures and as
they help assure one of desired re-
suits. Il is urged they be used. A
flexible flat knife or spatula as 1t
is called is very helpful, especially
when cleaning the bowl after mix
ing; generally speaking one should
work quickly and lightly when
making any cake so as to get the
full benefit of the leavening agent
used.
All materials should be assembled,
weighed, measured, counted and
made ready for immediate use be.
fore beginning any mixing.
Sponge cakes are made in gen
eral, by beating yolks and whites
separately, adding the sugar to
the egg yolks, then the lemon
juice and rind, add one half the
beaten whites. fold in the flour
and fold in the remaining whites.
This folding motion is essential
for by using 1t rather than stir.
ring, we do not break down the
egg whites. Sift the batter from