I440 'i'llK C'ORNKLL READINC-CoURSIiS 



It should be light, tender, and moist but not sticky. If cake is sticky 

 too much sugar has been used, or the baking has not been completed. If 

 it is dry too much flour has been used. Heaviness in cake is due to a 

 variety of causes : baking in too cool or too hot an oven ; the use of too 

 little or too much baking powder, too much fat, too much sugar. 



It should be friable, or, in other words, it should easily break in pieces, 

 although it should not crumble. 



There should be no suggestion of rawness, or, on the other hand, of 

 over-baking with dryness and breadiness. 



The crust should be tender and friable, of uniform light brown color, 

 and should tend to thinness rather than thickness. 



UTENSILS NEEDED 



In choosing utensils for this work it is well to remember that success 

 depends to a large extent on thorough mixing of the ingredients. It is 

 wise, therefore, to choose utensils that will most efifectually aid in the 

 process. 



Bowl. — A round-bottomed earthenware bowl lends its shape best to 

 the thorough beating of the cake batter. 



Spoons. — Any large spoon may be used for stirring the batter, but a 

 wooden spoon prevents noise, does not darken the mixture, and is easy 

 and light to manipulate. Several uniform tablespoons and teaspoons 

 should form a part of the kitchen equipment. If teaspoons and table- 

 spoons of varying capacity are used, it is impossible to get the same result 

 twice from any recipe. 



Egg beaters. — A heavy dover egg beater, although noisy, is rapid, 

 efficient, and thorough, causes much air to be included in the eggs, and 

 may be used with a bowl in place of a cake mixer for mixing the batter. 

 A strong, large beater should be chosen for this purpose, since it is not so 

 hard to manipulate as is a small one, and the cogwheels are less likely 

 to slip when flour is added to the mixture. Of course the dover egg beater 

 cannot be vised in beating a stiff and heavy batter, such as fruit-cake 

 batter after the fruit has been added, for the fruit will clog the wheels. 

 A wire whisk is valuable for beating eggs when lightness, rather than 

 fineness of grain, is desired. If no egg beater is at hand, a four-tined 

 silver fork is an excellent utensil for beating eggs. 



Measuring cups.— Uniform results cannot be expected by inexperienced 

 cooks without the use of a measuring cup. In all modern recipes such 

 a cup is used as a basis for measuring. Measuring cups cost only a small 

 sum and can be bought at any good hardware store. It is a great con- 

 venience to have several cups — one or more of tin for dry or hot ingredi- 

 ents, and at least one of glass for measuring liquids. 



