THE CHRISTMAS CAKE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20731, 16 December 1932, Page 24

THE CHRISTMAS CAKE.

The uhriatmas cake ia a must important item in the festive season. The observations regarding the Christmas pudding Ere applicable here also. Cakemaking ijy professionals to-day has reached a very high standard, and it may seem better, and eertaiuly much easier, to purchase what is required. However, here are some very excellent tested recipes for thoso who prefer to make their own, and who consider there is nothing as good as the cake- "mother used to make." Orange Cake. 4.dz Hour, 3 eggs, Oozs castor sugar, 1 orange. Grate off the yellow part of tho orange rind lightly. Put the eggs and sugar into a basin and beat together, then place tho basin over a pan of boiling water, and continue whisking the eggs for about 6-8 minutes, or until light and frothy. Sieve the flour, add a pinch of salt, and stir lightly to the eggs. Add tho orange rind and juico, and put the mixture into a greased tin linod with greased paper. Bake for about J-hour in a moderate oven, or until firm to the touch. This may be painted over with a little sieved apricot jam and decorated with crystallised orange slices when cold. Wholemeal Fruit Cake. Mix Goz butter or good dripping, Coz sugar, 4 eggs, |lb sultanas, }lb currants, 21b raisins, 1 dessertspoon desiccated coconut, 2oz candied peel finely chopped, 6oz wholemeal s.r. flour, 1 dessertspoon cocoa, and a pinch of salt. Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg-yolks one at a time, then add fruit, peel, and coconut, and flour mixed well with salt and cocoa. Beat whites of eggs to a froth, stir well into mixture, put into wolHined tin, sprinkle with coconut, and bako in a moderate oven about li hours. Oriental Cake. lib sugar, lib butter, 10 eggs, Ijlb flour, lib dry preserved ginger, lib figs, •Jib citron peel, fib blanched almonds, 1 glass of brandy. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add eggs beaten well, and then flour. Then fruit finely chopped, and lastly brandj*. Bake four hours. ;

Sponge Cake (With Butter). { Beat *lb butter and ilb sugar to a cream; beat 6 eggs, whites and yolks separately, add gradually to butter and sugar. Mix two teaspoonfuls baking i powder with 2 large cups flour; add to j e „ gB) e tc. Mix well, flavour to taste. Bake in greased tin not quite an hour. Will keep inoist for months. j Out-of-the-box Fruit Cake. j Boat vigorously together Jib butler j and 1£ eups brown sugar; add 1 cup I strained plum juice (stewed fruit and j sweeten it, or use preserved fruit juice). Separate yolks and whites of 5 eggs, and add the beaten yolks to the mixture. Now sift together 3 eups of flour, 1 small teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 2 teaspoons each allspice and powdered cinnamon. Add flour gradually to the creamed mixture alternately with the following blended fruits: 3 j cups mixed nuts (walnuts, Barcelonas, I and Jordan almonds are the best), 1 cup chopped candied pineapple, 1 cup chopped preserved figs, cups candied cherries, 1 cup mixed peel (lemon, orange, and citron), 1 cup stoned raisins. Blend by beating with the hand in it roomy mixing dish, and finally add 1 tablespoon of rum and the whipped eggwhites. Put in a baking-tin lined with several thicknesses of brown paper, coming well up over the top of the tin, and place in an oven first moderate, then to slow, giving fully 3i hours to bake. Cool off in the tin, and paek ii awav in the tin to retain all moistness j A veritable fruit cake. i •