Learning to Cook

with recipes from the 1900's

First a few tips

• In making cake, the ingredients should be of the first quality—the flour super-fine, and always sifted; the butter fresh and sweet and not too much salted.
  
  
• Coffee A, or granulated sugar is best for cakes.
  
  
• Much care should be taken in breaking and separating the eggs, and equal care taken as regards their freshness.
  
  
• When learning to cook, break each egg separately in a teacup; then into the vessels in which they are to be beaten. Never use an egg when the white is the least discolored. Before beating the whites remove every particle of yolk. If any is allowed to remain, it will prevent them becoming as stiff and dry as required.
  
  
• Deep earthen bowls are best for mixing cake, and a wooden spoon or paddle is best for beating batter. Before commencing to make your cake, see that all the ingredients required are at hand. By so doing the work may be done in much less time.
  
  
• The lightness of a cake depends not only upon the making, but the baking also. It is highly important in learning how to cook to exercise judgment respecting the heat of the oven, which must be regulated according to the cake you bake, and the stove you use. Solid cake requires sufficient heat to cause it to rise and brown nicely without scorching. If it should brown too fast cover with thick brown paper. All light cakes require quick heat and are not good if baked in a cool oven. Those having molasses as an ingredient scorch more quickly, consequently should be baked in a moderate oven.
  
  
• Every cook should use her own judgment, and by frequent baking she will in a very short time be able to tell by the appearance of either bread or cake whether it is sufficiently done.

Learning CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE cook recipe.

One pound of flour, one pound of butter beaten to a cream, six eggs beaten separately, two wineglasses of brandy, one pound sugar, one pound of raisins, one pound of currants, one pound of prunes, one pound figs chopped, one half pound mixed candied peel, one half pound almonds, one half teaspoon mixed spice or nutmeg.

Learning FRUITCAKE cook recipe.

Two pounds of raisins, two pounds of currants, one half pound of citron, one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, eight ounces of butter, ten eggs, two nutmegs, one half ounce of mace, one tablespoon of cloves, same of cinnamon, one glass of brandy, one tablespoon of baking powder, one cup of molasses. Learning to cook this recipe well by stirrng butter and sugar together until very light. Beat whites and yolks separately and bake cook in a slow oven.

ORANGE FROSTING.

One pound of frosting sugar, juice of one lemon and one orange, grate rind of orange.

Learning CARAMEL CAKE cook recipe.

One tablespoon of butter, one cup of sugar, three eggs, one half cup of milk, one and one half cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder.

Filling.—Two cups of sugar, two thirds cup of milk, boil thirteen minutes, add butter the size of a small egg, and one good teaspoon of vanilla. Learning how to cook this well by stirring the fillingl thick enough to spread and not to run. Bake cook in three, spread between and on top.

Learning SPONGECAKE. (Splendid.) cook recipe.

Beat four eggs, over one cup of white sugar, for half an hour, then mix one cup of flour, after it is in the pan pour some essence of lemon on the top and bake immediately.

Learning SPONGE CAKE cook recipe.

Ten eggs; very fresh, one pound fine sugar, the weight of five eggs in flour, the rind of two lemons and juice of one. Break the eggs on the sugar and beat them twenty minutes with two pronged steel carving fork until in a lovely light cream, then grate the lemon rind into it with the juice of one lemon. Sift the flour several times and next mix in the flour most carefully barely stirring to mix it in, if stirred too much it will make the cake heavy. Beat it with the back of the fork towards you. The oven should be a little quick at first until the cake rises, if baking too quickly place a piece of white paper over it and buttered paper should be placed in the pans. N. B.— Learning how to cook well will delight your tastebuds if properly made.

Learning CACOUNA CAKE cook recipe.

Three cups of sugar, two cups of butter, seven eggs, one pound of raisins, wineglass of wine, one nutmeg, one cup sour milk and one teaspoon soda, five cups of flour. Beat the butter to a cream, then add the sugar and the eggs (well beaten), the fruit, spice and wine, then the flour and lastly the soda dissolved in a cup of sour milk.

Learning DELICIOUS ANGEL'S FOOD cook recipe.

Beat the whites of eleven eggs to a stiff froth, then stir in carefully a cup and a half of sifted granulated sugar, (or better still of castor sugar,) a teaspoonful of vanilla and one cup of flour that has been sifted with a teaspoonful of cream of tartar five times; add this very carefully and mix thoroughly, turn into an ungreased pan and bake in a moderate oven for about fifty-five minutes. The trick to learning how to cook this well is to turn upside down and when cool it will either drop out or it may be easily removed from the pan with a knife.

Learning CHOCOLATE CAKE cook recipe.

Dissolve two ounces of chocolate in five tablespoonfuls boiling water. Cream half a cup of butter adding gradually one and a half cups of sugar; add the yolks of four eggs, beat thoroughly; then add the chocolate, half a cup of cream or milk, a cup and three quarters of flour, two rounding teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a teaspoonful of vanilla. Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, stir them carefully into the mixture, and it is ready to bake either in a loaf-pan or in three layer cake pans. Frost with boiled icing flavored with chocolate.

Learning MAPLE CREAM CAKE cook recipe.

One cup of sugar, two eggs, two tablespoonfuls butter, a little less than two cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder. Bake in two tins. Frosting, one cup and a half of maple sugar, one half cup cream, boil until quite thick then beat until it creams, add the white of one egg, keep beating until thick.

Learning COCOA CAKE cook recipe.

Learning how to cook this recipe by starting to rub one half cup butter to a cream, with one cup of sugar, add the beaten yolks of two eggs, and beat well. Mix one and one half cups of flour, one teaspoonful baking powder and two teaspoonfuls cocoa, thoroughly beat the whites of eggs stiff, measure one-half cup of milk, and then add a little milk and flour alternately to the egg mixture, lastly add the whites of eggs and one teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla. Bake in a shallow pan about twenty minutes and then frost with plain cocoa frosting.

Icing.—Mix one half teaspoonful cocoa with one cup powdered sugar, add one tablespoonful lemon juice and one tablespoonful boiling water or enough to make the sugar into a paste that settles to a level the moment you stop stirring. Spread at once on the hot cake.

Learning CORN CAKE cook recipe.

One cup of corn meal, one cup of flour, two teaspoons baking powder, sifted with the flour, one egg, two tablespoons melted butter, two tablespoons sugar, little salt, one and one fourth cups of sweet milk, bake in quick oven.

Learning COCOANUT CAKE. (Splendid.) cook recipe.

Two cups of sugar and one half cup of butter beaten to a cream, slowly add one cup of milk; mix two teaspoonfuls of baking powder with three cups of flour, add this gradually, mixing and then beating, finally the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth and one teaspoonful of lemon extract. This can be made in layers (three) or baked in a square pan.

ICING.

Whites of two eggs, one half pound of cocoanut, and enough powdered sugar to make it sufficiently stiff, one teaspoonful lemon extract.

Learning CREAM CAKE cook recipe.

One cup of butter, one cup of cream or sour milk, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four eggs, one teaspoon soda mixed in vinegar and stirred in at the last. Bake in shallow tins.

Learning MARBLE CAKE cook recipe.

Learning how to cook this recipe will delight your taste buds. First: One cup white sugar, one fourth cup butter, three eggs (whites and yolks beaten separately) one half cup milk, two cups of flour, two teaspoons baking powder. Separate this batter into three parts. In one part put a square of chocolate dissolved in a little hot water, in another part put one teaspoon cochineal to color it. Take a spoonful of each color (white, brown, pink) alternately and bake in long tin pan.

ICING.

White of one egg well beaten, one teaspoon of vanilla, and pulverized sugar.

Learning ORANGE CAKE cook recipe.

Learning how to cook this orange cake by first taking two cups of flour, one scant cup of milk, one cup of sugar, half a cup of butter, two eggs, one teaspoon soda and two of cream of tartar. Divided in six parts and spread as thin as possible in pans of uniform size. Bake about three minutes: when done lay together with layers of orange filling between. Method: cream sugar and butter together, then add milk in which the soda and cream of tartar has been dissolved, then the eggs well beaten and lastly the flour into which drop a pinch of salt. Beat well and don't scrimp the butter.

Orange Filling.—The juice and part of the grated rind of two oranges, then add one cup of sugar. One tablespoon of flour dissolved in cup of water which is gradually added, then beat the yolk of the egg well, and mix well together, and boil in a steamer until it is as thick as custard or boil about three quarters of an hour. The steamer is the safest as the flour is liable to stick to the pan otherwise.

Learning LADY CAKE cook recipe.

One half cup butter, one and one half cups granulated sugar, one cup lukewarm water, two and one half cups of sifted flour, four eggs, whites only, one lemon juice and grated rind, two teaspoons of vanilla extract, two teaspoons of baking powder. Cream the butter in an earthen dish with silver spoon, stirring till light cream color, add sugar beating thoroughly. Sift the flour, add one half of it and the cup of water a little of each, till cup is finished. Beat whites of eggs stiff and dry, add one half, beat, then the rest of the flour. Beat well, add the juice, and grated rind of lemon or vanilla as preferred, next the baking powder and the balance of the beaten eggs. Turn quickly into a deep, well buttered tin, and bake for three quarters of an hour. The tin should be ready for use immediately the baking powder is added. When cold, frost with white icing.

Learning LEMON CAKE cook recipe.

One half cup of butter creamed well with one and a half cups of sugar, stir in the yolks of three eggs and one cup of milk; two teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted with three cups of flour and added alternately with the whites of the three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Bake in rather a quick oven in three tins of uniform size, and place, between layers, a frosting made of the grated rind of one, and juice of two lemons, and three fourths cup of sugar. Let boil and throw it over the well beaten whites of two eggs. This cake is one that keeps well for five or six days.

Learning PLAIN CAKE cook recipe.

One half cup butter, one cup sugar, three eggs, two cups of flour, two and one half teaspoons baking powder, one cup of milk.

Learning SPANISH BUN cook recipe.

One and one half cups sugar, four eggs, leave out the whites of three for icing, three fourths cup butter, one cup milk, one tablespoonful cinnamon, one teaspoon ginger, one half nutmeg, two cups flour, three spoonfuls baking powder. Bake in flat tin well greased.

ICING.

Take the whites of three eggs, beat to a stiff froth then add a cup of light brown sugar; while the cake is hot, spread this over, return to the oven and brown.

Learning WHITE CAKE. (Delicious.) cook recipe.

One cup sugar, one half cup butter, whites of two eggs, one cup of milk or water, two cups of flour, two teaspoons baking powder, cream the butter, stir in sugar, then add milk or water, beaten whites, flour, and lastly the extract.

Nut Filling.—One cup milk, one cup nut meats, one tablespoon flour, one egg, one half cup sugar, salt. Heat milk sugar and nuts, add egg and flour stirred together; cook until thick.

Learning WALNUT CAKE cook recipe.

Learning to cook this wallnut cake by first creaming one cup granulated sugar and one fourth of butter, and two eggs, then two heaping cups flour, two heaping teaspoons baking powder sifted four times: while your flour is still heaped in the mixing bowl on top of the butter, etc., add one heaping saucer chopped walnuts, then use as much as you need of one cup sweet milk to make a nice stiff batter, not too thin.

Learning to cook with icings for cakes.

APPLE FILLING FOR CAKE.

One apple grated, one cup of sugar, one teaspoonful of vanilla, the white of one egg beaten stiff.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING.

White of one egg, eight tablespoons powdered sugar, one inch square of chocolate, one half teaspoon vanilla. Do not whip the egg but stir the sugar into it beating until smooth. Place the chocolate in a teacup, float the latter in a saucepan full of boiling water. Cover the pan and when the chocolate melts stir into the frosting and add vanilla and spread upon the cake.

CHOCOLATE ICING (Original).

One cup granulated sugar, two squares of chocolate, boil till thick (do not stir) then turn into beaten white of one egg.

BOILED ICING.

One cup granulated sugar, boiled till it threads, then turned into the beaten whites of two eggs, and whip till cold.

CHOCOLATE PASTE.

Melt two ounces Baker's chocolate, add one tablespoonful of water, and three of milk, one piece of butter, one egg well beaten, one cup of sugar, make as in lemon marmalade.

FIG CAKE FILLING.

One pound figs, one half cup sugar, two thirds cup of water. Boil figs after being chopped fine with sugar and water until thick.

MAPLE SYRUP ICING.

One cup maple syrup, boil until it will harden slightly when dropped in cold water, then pour on the stiffly beaten white of an egg and stir constantly until it thickens, then spread on cake.

MAPLE SUGAR ICING.

One cup of maple sugar, six teaspoonsful water, boiled till thick. White of one egg beaten crisp to be stirred in with the syrup until cool, then spread on the cake. Stir quickly when mixing the syrup and egg.

ORANGE JELLY ICING.

Two oranges, one lemon, one cup of sugar, one cup of water, one tablespoonful of cornstarch. Grate the rinds, add the juice of oranges and lemon; mix the cornstarch with a little water, put in a saucepan and let it come to the boil until thick and clear, stir constantly. When cool enough spread between cakes.

SOFT ICING FOR CAKES.

Two cups of white sugar (teacups), three fourths cup of sweet milk, one half a tablespoonful of washed butter. Boil for ten minutes, take off and stir constantly till it begins to thicken, then spread immediately over cakes. Put in flavoring to taste when you begin to stir.

CREAM ICING.

Take a piece of butter about one half the size of an almond, wash thoroughly to remove salt, beat it to a cream with one tablespoonful of rich cream, flavor with a few drops of lemon, vanilla or any flavoring preferred, then thicken with powdered sugar and spread on cake with a knife dipped in cold water. Let stand before using an hour or longer.

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