Practical Hints About Cakes for Britain

New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 403, 14 March 1947, Page 32

Practical Hints About Cakes for Britain

Dear Aunt Daisy, Some time ago I saw in The Listener that some of my sister readers had disappointmerits with the cakes made for overseas. In one sense I felt a bit worried as I had just made and sent three, which as you know took a bit of doing. I got fruit from far and wide and went without a lot of things I would have liked to make for my own family. I am an English- woman, arid received several letters from members of my family saying they had to wait 242 hours for a bit of cake, and even then, although quite hungry, could scarcely eat it-‘‘it was like sawdust," one of them said. So I thought a cake would be a nice surprise for Christmas. During the war I made and sent cakes to my two sailor sons, also to an Erfglish aitman in Italy. I had nothing but praise, so they must have been all right. I have just received three airmail letters, saying how beautiful the cakes were. "It’s a wonder you did not hear the children yelling with delight in New Zealand," said one letter; and another, "If you could only have seen the children’s eyes! You see, they have never seen such a big cake before!" The cakes had arrived quite safely, and although iced with a Christmas decoration did not even have a crack on them. It i¢ needless to say how happy I am with the good results, for | you know what, a lot of trouble they were. This is how I went about it, if it will help my sister readers. It would be so lovely if a few more cakes could be sent. I bought the tins, of course, and lightly greased them with a smear of lard, after washing them. Then I lined the tins with luncheon paper, smeared with lard. This is my recipe:-One and a-half breakfast cups of flour, 2. good handsful of ground rice (if not procurable, two breakfast cups flour), 1 breakfast cup ‘sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, Ib. each of any dried fruits, including dates, preserved or artificial cherries if liked, 1 round of mixed peel, 3 or 4 eggs (having

plenty, I put 4), ‘lb. butter, 1 tablespoon golden syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla flavouring, 1 tablespoon wine, if possible. Method:-Sift flour, sugar, baking powder; add fruit and peel; cut up butter with a knife (do not melt it) and add to other things. Beat eggs, add wine and syrup. Make a well in centre of mixture, and mix these in well with wooden spoon, or broad knife. Bake in moderate oven, 340. degrees, electric stove, about 134 hours. DO NOT TAKE CAKE OUT OF TIN. A hat pin or fine piece of wire will show if cake is cooked. Next day I iced the cakes with the white of an egg beaten stiff, enough icing sugar to make the mixture hold a spoon upright and a few drops of vanilla. Pour icing over the cake, allow

this to stand overnight, when it will be well set. Now a few sheets of luncheon paper, then a piece of good clean brown paper; put on the lid; put friction tape (the black sticking tape) around the edge of the lid, which keeps the cake well airtight. I stick the paper-wrapping with gloy and tie string around. I have had wonderful praise, no failures, although my cakes went all round the world. Trusting this will help, as it is very heartbreaking to have a failure, Marguerita.