Making Cake. — Part I 1445 



Soda and cream oj tartar 



Soda and cream of tartar may be substituted for baking powder by- 

 using them in the sa,me proportion as is given in the recipe for home- 

 made baking powder, and using a quantity equivalent to that called for 

 in the recipe. Thus, if a recipe calls for three teaspoonfuls of baking 

 powder, a very little less than one teaspoonful of soda and two scant 

 teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar may be used, disregarding the starch 

 filler entirely. 



Sour milk, molasses, fruit, and chocolate all contain acid substances 

 that react with soda, and may take the place of a part or all of the acid 

 needed to act with soda. 



If more soda is put into the cake than is needed to neutralize the acid 

 used -svdth it, this excess of soda mil give the cake a yellow color. Also, 

 the excess of soda will unite with the fat in the cake, and this accounts 

 for the peciiliar soap-like taste sometimes found in a cake that contains 

 too much soda. If the soda is not thoroughly mixed into the batter, 

 little brown specks or spots will appear in the cake. It is therefore better 

 to stir the soda into the liquid than to add it to the dry ingredients. In 

 this way thorough solution and mixing is assured. 



The use of soda with sour milk or buttermilk will be discussed more 

 fully in another part of the lesson. 



Eggs 



Fresh and preserved eggs, and egg powders 



The eggs to be used for cake do not need to be strictly fresh in order 

 to produce a light cake or even acake of good flavor. They must, however, 

 be soiind and in good condition. When eggs are high in price, good, 

 soiuid, cold-storage or water-glass eggs may be used instead of fresh eggs. 

 When the price of eggs is above twenty-six or twenty-seven cents a dozen, 

 egg powders may be used successfully in making cakes containing fats; 

 but, so far, in cakes of the sponge-cake type the substitution of egg powders ' 

 for fresh eggs has proved unsuccessful. ; 



Effect of eggs on cake 



Eggs give to cake a certain lightness and a marked fineness of texture. 

 They help to hold together the various ingredients. This is particularly 

 noticeable in rich cake, in which, as the amount of fat and the tenderness 

 of the cake increase, an increase in the number of eggs will help to 

 overcome the tendency of the cake to fall apart. This property is 

 possessed to a greater extent by the white of the egg than by the yolk. 



