Cakes

SPONGE CAKE

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

3 tblsp. warm water

1 tsp. lemon juice

Beat the eggs until thick and creamy. Add sifted sugar and beat well. Add water and lemon juice and beat again. Sift the flour, add salt and baking powder and sift again. Combine dry ingredients with the egg mixture, a little at a time folding in gently. When well blended pour into an ungreased pan with center tube. Bake in moderate oven (350-f) for 50 minutes.

SCRIPTURE CAKE

Behold there was a cake baken. I-Kings, 9:16

½ cup butter Judges, 5:25

2 cups flour I-Kings, 4:22

½ tsp. salt Leviticus, 2:13

1 cup figs I-Samuel, 30:12

1½ cups sugar Jeremiah, 6:20

2 tsp. baking powder Luke, 13:21

½ cup water Genesis, 24:11

1 cup raisins I-Samuel, 30:12

3 eggs Isaiah, 10:14

Cinnamon, mace, cloves I-Kings, 10:10

1 tblsp. honey Proverbs, 24:13

½ cup almonds Genesis, 43:11

Blend butter, sugar, spices and salt. Beat egg yolks and add. Sift in baking powder and flour, then add the water and honey. Put fruit and nuts thru food chopper and flour well. Follow Solomon’s advice for making good boys—1st clause of Proverbs, 23:14. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake for 1 hour in 375-f oven.

SPICE LAYER CAKE

2 cups light brown sugar

½ cup shortening

2 eggs

¾ cup milk

3 tsp. baking powder

1 cup chopped raisins

2¼ cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. cloves

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. salt

Cream sugar and shortening and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until light. Sift the flour, add salt, spices, baking powder, then sift again. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternately with the milk. Beat thoroughly and add the floured raisins. Pour into 2 greased layer cake pans. Bake in moderate oven (350-f) for 25 or 30 minutes. For the icing use:

2 cups sugar

¾ cup milk

2 tblsp. butter

Cream together and boil until it forms a soft ball when dropped in water. Add vanilla and beat until cold. Spread between layers, over top and sides.

GRANDMOTHER’S MOLASSES CAKE

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup raisins and currants

flour to make a soft batter

1 tablespoon ginger

1 tablespoon cloves

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 cups sour milk

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and beaten eggs. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with 1½ cups of sour milk. Mix the soda in the remaining milk and add with remainder of flour. Floured currants and raisins are added last. Bake in a loaf pan in a slow oven about one hour.

WALNUT GINGERBREAD

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup shortening

½ cup black molasses

1 cup boiling water

3½ cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. cloves

2 eggs

¾ cup chopped black walnuts

Cream the sugar and shortening in a bowl. Add the molasses and pour the cup of boiling water over it. Mix well. Combine the flour, soda and spices, sift and add to the molasses mixture, beating well. Add the eggs one at a time and blend thoroughly. Next add the chopped nut meats. Pour into a well greased loaf pan and bake in moderate oven (350-f) for 40 minutes.

APPLE SAUCE CAKE

1 cup light brown sugar

¼ cup butter

1 cup apple sauce

1 tsp. soda

2 cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. cloves, ground

a little nutmeg

1 cup raisins

pinch of salt

Cream together butter, sugar and spices. Add apple sauce, flour and soda dissolved in a little warm water. Add the raisins (or currants). Beat thoroughly and pour into a loaf tin. Bake in moderate oven (350-f) for approximately 50 minutes.

ICING

1 cup pulverized sugar, piece of butter size of a walnut. Moisten with a little water and spread over cake.

NUT CAKE

1½ cups sugar

½ cup butter

3 eggs, separated

2½ cups flour

1 cup nut meats, chopped

2 tsp. baking powder

¾ cup milk

a little salt

Rub butter and sugar to a light, white cream. Add egg yolks and beat until smooth. Sift flour, salt and baking powder and add, together with milk, a little at a time, beating well. Fold in chopped nuts and stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into 2 nine inch cake pans or 1 loaf pan. Bake in medium oven (350-f) for 30 minutes for layer cake or 1 hour for loaf cake. Use hickory nuts, black walnuts or shellbarks.

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH