116 BREAD, CAKES, AND BISCUITS
ice with white glace or a fondant icing, placing some half
walnuts dipped in the icing all around. Cocoanut cake
is made in the same way, but the cream should be mixed
with a small quantity of grated cocoanut, and when the
icing is nearly dry a thick sprinkling of the cocoanut is
placed on it. A different cake, but a very good one, is made
in this way: Take a pint of shelled walnuts and pound
them (or grind them in a nut-mill, which can be purchased
for a shilling or two), beat up the yolks of nine eggs, add
to them gradually 3lb. of caster sugar and the nuts.
Whisk the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, mix
them in lightly, and bake in a large, well-buttered tin.
When cold, divide the cake, spread one half of it with the
whipped cream, place it together again, ice, and decorate
with half walnuts.
Cake, Wedding.—Beat 23lb. of butter to a cream with
23lb of caster sugar (this butter may be slightly warmed to
make it work more easily, but this must be carefully done,
for if the least overheated the butter will oil and spoil the
whole mixing). When the butter and sugar is in a thick
cream, work in, two or three at a time (never more, for fear
of thinning the mixture too suddenly, and thus making it
curdle in the beating up), 3lb. of eggs (this means about
twenty-four or twenty-six, but it is wisest to weigh them);
when these are thoroughly mixed, work in gradually 2lb.
of ground almonds, 4lb. to 5lb. of very finely shredded
mixed candied peel, 5lb. well washed and dried currants,
3lb. of carefully stoned raisins, not quite 3lb. of fine flour,
previously sifted with 1oz. of mixed spice, and lastly a
glass of brandy. Paper a hoop well with buttered paper,
and put a layer of bran or dry sawdust on the baking sheet
under the paper to keep it from burning. Pour in the
mixture, and bake for quite seven hours in a slow, soaking
oven. Then let it stand till perfectly cold. Next day trim
the cake, smoothing the top over, if necessary, with a
knife, and spread it quite an inch thick with almond icing