Tenth Day
"We are going to have company to tea to-morrow evening," said Mrs. Vernon one morning. "Have you girls a mind to get us up something nice?" "Yes, indeed, Mamma. What shall we make?" "I wish you'd let me be company, too, and not know anything about what we are going to have until I see it on the table. What do you say to that, Jane?" "I should enjoy it. You give us carte blanche, of course?" "Certainly. Do whatever you please, and send for whatever you want. You can't go amiss."
Thereupon Mrs. King and the young people withdrew to hold a private consultation. "Let's have some new things, Aunt Jane," said Grace. "Something different from what Rhoda makes." "I thought we would have some huckleberry cake," answered Aunt Jane; "but I suppose Rhoda knows all about that." "Oh, no, I don't believe she does, for we never have it. It sounds excellent." "Then there's a particularly nice kind of tea-cake that I know of, and that I don't believe your mother has the receipt for. And then you ought to know how to make old-fashioned pound cake." "Oh, we're always having pound-cake! I can't bear it! Please let us put that off till some other day, and give us something new." "So be it, then, but I'll give you the recipe while I think of it. That won't hurt you, at all events."
No. 128-POUND CAKE.
One pound sugar, one of flour, one of eggs, one of butter. Many people use but three-quarters of a pound of butter, and some add a glass of brandy. Beat immensely, and bake with care, not disturbing it after it is once set in the oven, or it will almost certainly be heavy.
No. 129-COMPANY TEA CAKE.
One quart flour and one of milk rubbed smoothly together; stir in six eggs beaten very light, and two-thirds of a cup softened butter. To be eaten hot, with butter. No. CAKE.
Two quarts flour, four tablespoons sugar, one very heaping tablespoonful butter, one teaspoon soda, two of cream tartar, milk enough to make a very thick batter. One quart berries. May be baked in muffin-rings, or in square flat tins. To be eaten hot, with butter.
No. 131-WASHINGTON CAKE.
Three cups of sugar, two of butter, one of milk, four of flour, five eggs, one teaspoonful soda and two of cream tartar. Mix as usual for other cake, then add half a pound currants and a quarter of pound raisins, both thoroughly floured. Some citron, finely sliced (my recipe says a handful,) and a little spice. "What kind of spice, aunty?" "Cinnamon and nutmeg are the most common, but I like a little allspice quite as well, especially where there is fruit. And you must all remember, when you come to bake cake by yourselves, that fruit cake requires a much longer time than the same recipe would need without it." "Why does the fruit have to be floured?" asked Mabel. "It will all sink to the bottom of the cake if it isn't," replied Mrs. King. "And even when it is carefully dredged, it will sometimes have a strong inclination to fall, especially if the batter is at all too thin, or the oven too slow. It requires care and judgment to bake fruit cake well. One great thing is to keep the heat perfectly even. Here is one you can try next winter, but I should advise you to make only half the receipt for the first time." "Oh, I know what that means," said Grace, tossing her head. "You think we're going to spoil it." "I think it is just as well to be careful, and that it would be a pity to waste those good nuts. But here's the recipe."
No. 132-NNUT-CAKE.
Two cups sugar, one of butter, three of flour, one of cold water, four eggs, one teaspoonful soda and two of cream tartar, two cupfuls hickory nut kernels carefully picked out, without any teeth-breaking scraps of shell left among them. "Why don't some of these receipts say baking-powder?" asked Mabel. "Rhoda always keeps it in the kitchen." "Because the most particular cooks think that the fresh combination of soda and cream tartar is nicer. But if you ever happen to be without one of these and have baking-powder, you may use as much of it as are required of the other two put together, or perhaps rather more, and you will be about right. Here is a nice recipe for plain loaf-cake."
No. 133-BREAD CAKE.
One pound risen dough, half a pound sugar, a quarter of a pound butter, half a tumblerful currants, one wellbeaten egg, half a nutmeg, the grated rind and half the juice of a lemon. Mix thoroughly with the hands and set to rise. Leave it in a warm place for several hours, and do not bake until light. It is better if baked in two small loaves than in one large one. Don't forget to butter the tins well. It is not necessary to line them with paper. "How are we to make the dough, Aunt Jane?" "You will have to depend on Rhoda for that. When you are two or three years older, you can learn how to use yeast; but at present we will confine our attention to simple cooking. But I don't think you've had my favorite muffins yet."
No. 134-INDIAN-MEAL MUFFINS.
Two cups corn-meal, one of flour, two and a half of milk, three eggs, one tablespoonful lard, two of white sugar, one teaspoonful soda, two of cream tartar, one of salt. Beat whites and yolks separately, melt the lard, sift soda and cream tartar together with the flour (which must be added last of all,) and then beat with all your might. Bake in small patty-pans.
No. 135-GRAHAM BISCUIT.