CAKE RECIPES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1939, Page 8

CAKE RECIPES

MARZIPAN AND FONDANT ICING. These are tested recipes:— A Rich Cake. Take 11b each butter, castor sugar, plain flour. 4oz rice Hour, 11b raisins. 21b sultanas, lllb currants, 8 large eggs, -'.lb mixed peel, Jib almonds, blanched and shredded, .jib each crystallised cherries, ginger, dates and prunes and walnuts, J teaspoonful salt, grated rind of 2 oranges and 2 lemons, a little almond essence, 1 tablespoonful glucose, J teaspoonful each ground cinnamond, nutmeg, spice and cloves if liked. Pour 2 wine-glasses brandy or rum over half the fruit, which has previously been prepared, and allow to stand •overnight. Sift dry ingredients and mix with remaining fruit. Cream butter until smooth, add sugar gradually, and beat until white and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add glucose and essence, then alternately the brahdied fruit and flour mixture. About half a cupful of grated carrot may be added to this mixture. Bake in well-prepared cakc-tins in rather a hot oven at first, then reduce the heat and continue cooking for about throe and a half hours. Cooked Marzipan.

Place in saucepan 21b sugar. 4oz •glucose, add enough warm waler to dissolve. Stir over fire until sugar syrup is quite clear and free from any grains. Wash down the sides of pan with, wet brush to remove any uncooked sugar. Boil until 240 degrees or until it will form a soft ball when tried between the fingers. Now add jib ground almonds, mix well on the fire, and continue to mix with a wooden spoon until it sets and stiffens. Turn out on to smooth enamel tray, cover with a cloth and allow to cool. Knead well until smooth with icing sugar and use when required. This paste keeps indefinitely, and can be prepared well beforehand. A few drops of yellow colour and almond essence may be added if liked. Fondant Icing.

Put l|lb sugar and 1 tablespoonful glucose in a saucepan, add enough warm water to dissolve, stir over fire until dissolved, using the same method as for marzipan. Boil until 240 degrees Fahrenheit, or until it forms a soft ball. .Take off fire, allow bubbles to cease, pour into a basin which has been rinsed, but not dried. Allow to cool, then beat with wooden spoon until quite white and just pourable. Cover for one hour, then knead until quite smooth. Place in covered jar, and when ready to use add colour and flavouring. TO ICE THE CAKE. To ice the cake, cover with marzipan and allow it to dry for one day. Now place fondant in double saucepan, stir well till warm, but not hot (overheating will ruin fondant). They pour over cake and allow it to spread itself over the cake, without touching it with a knife. Decorate with the following icing: Beat 4 egg-whites, lJlb sifted icing sugar and the juice of 1 lemon in a basin until stiff. This icing must be well beaten, and on nd account must more sugar be added. Light Fruit Cake.

Cream two-thirds of a cupful of butter until smooth, gradually add 1J cupfuls castor sugar and cream until quite light -and almost white. Add gradually 3 well-beaten eggs, taking care not to curdle the mixture. Sift 3 level cupfuls self-raising flour with i teaspoonful salt, I teaspoonful ground cinnamond, and a little grated nutmeg. Have prepared 2 cupfuls sultanas, 1 cupful chopped nuts, a good tablespoonful mixed peel, the rind of 2 oranges, very finely chopped, and if liked a few crystallised cherries. with the sifted flour and add alternately with 1 cupful milk. One teaspoonful vanilla essence and a few drops almond essence may be added. Bake in a moderate oven for about one and a half hours.