THE HOUSEKEEPER

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6815, 21 January 1929, Page 10

THE HOUSEKEEPER

WATCH THE OVEN. 7 Everybody agrees that there is nothing more tempting for tea than homemade cakes. You need not be a cordon bleu to succeed in cake-making. . First, your oven needs attention, and it must be the right temperature at the moment when, you aro ready to bake your batch of cakes. Then the dry ingredients must be really dry. Tho flour should be well sifted. If currants arc used they must be washed betimes and carefully dried. They im prove not only the flavour, but add to nutritive value of the cakes, because they contain fruit sugar associated with mineral salts that play an important part in keeping the blood pure. When baked, cakes should be stood on a metal rack so that the air can reach all sides and assist in Tapid cooling. The cake should not be cut til: coid, or it will lose some of its lightness.

The best ingredients should be used when making cakes. If eggs are stale and butter not quite fresh, or of poor quality, one cannot hope for success. Many cakes require the butter and sugar to bo beaten to a cream before other ingredients are adddd..' When this is stated in tho recipe ho, sure to beat the butter and sugar Together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is perfectly smooth, and the sugar does not make a gritty sound against the spoon. For most cakes it is essential that eggs should bo well beaten, and the flour sifted and mixed with the other incredients very lightly and gradually.