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Flour Mixtures Continued: Cake

To do anything well it must be done often. With nothing in the line of cooking is this more true than with cake-making, and especially that part of the process that has to do with the baking.

But cake is a luxury and not a very hygienic one, as it is often another example of concealed fat. Thus, being an article for occasional rather than daily consumption, the opportunity for practice is infrequent, and it were well for the young housekeeper to confine her efforts to a few varieties. SOME OF THE QUALITIES OF A GOOD CAKE Good cake is light, velvety in texture, and fine rather than coarse grained. It does not have a sugary, brittle edge. It is of uniform height, and is baked to a uniform color -- the shade depending on the variety of cake -- on the bottom, top and sides.

HOW CAKES ARE LIGHTENED Cakes are made light in the same manner as other batters and doughs, i.e. (1) by the expansion of air beaten into some of the ingredients, as eggs, butter, butter and sugar, or into the finished mixture; (2) by carbon dioxide set free during the growth of yeast plants, or from a carbonate by an acid; (3) by the expansion of the air or gas, or both, when heated; (4) by the hardening (by heat) of the cell-walls during cooking.