TO MAKE GOOD FRUIT CAKES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 7 (Supplement)

TO MAKE GOOD FRUIT CAKES.

Keep the consistency of your fruit cake mixture. stiff. Otherwise the fruit is going to fall to the bottom. The large proportion of fat and sugar in a rich mixture melts when put into the oven, anil so it must bo kept si ill to counteract that tendenev. Too much liquid makes the mixture thin and incapable of supporting the weight of fruit. pen that the oven is just right. If too cod tho mixture will not "set" quickly, ;ind again the fruit will fall to the bottom. On t.he other hand, if Id is too hot the outside of the cake will cook before t'lt: inside. As a consequence the air inside will not have room to expand, and so /be cake will be pushed, up into an ugly peak on top. This, of course, will have to bo disposed of before icing can be undertaken.

Bo liberal with the layers of paper with •which vou lino your cake tin, and also be liberal with the fresh butter with which von- grease e:ich layer. For a moderately rich mixture use two lavei'3 of white paper for both sides and bottom, but, for a very rich mixture, four layers of paper are not too many. A double sheet of paper should cover tha top before the cn.iie is finished, to prevent it from becoming too brown. Place the cake in tho middle of the oven where the beat is maintained at »ven temperature. If the oven is right a reailM rich cake will still be only pale brown after it has been in the oven for ons hour.