CAKES.
111
cooling it shrinks, and leaves the tin, so is easier to slip out.
If it should stick, slip the point of a knife round the edges,
tap the mould gently on the table, then cover the mould
with a hair sieve, reverse these, and the cake should slip out
clean and uninjured on to the sieve, where it should be left
untouched in a warm corner till set, when it can be lifted
up without breaking or crumbling. The oven must be a
very moderate one, so that the cake may heat through
gradually, and a crust form round the sides to support the
top as it rises. In an overheated oven the top will rise up
sharply in a cone shape drawn up by the heat, and the
sides not being properly set as the top hardens, and con-
sequently becomes heavier, they give way, the top falls in,
and the cake becomes heavy. It must also be remembered
that a draught (before the cake is properly set), or a jar in
putting it into the oven, or the slamming of the oven
door when this has been opened to examine the cake,
are each and all sufficient to make the cake drop and
“sadden.” Bear in mind also that the cake mould
should never be set flat on the oven shelf, but in a
baking tin containing a good layer of sand or salt. If this
is neglected, the cake will be burnt, or at least too darkly
coloured on top. To test if the cake is done, prick it with
a clean splinter of wood or a fine knitting needle, draw this
out gently, and if it is quite clean and dry, the cake is
ready. If, however, it is stained or damp, the sponge
requires longer baking. It cannot be too strongly impressed
on the amateur that a great deal of the success in this cake-
making depends on the preparation of the mould. Try it
in this way: Wash the mould thoroughly, and dry it per-
fectly. Now dissolve 2oz. or 3oz. of butter, and either paint
the inside of the mould thickly and evenly with this liquid,
or pour the butter into the mould and turn and tilt the
mould till every particle of its surface is buttered; then
pour out the superfluous butter in a jar (this can be used
again) and dust the inside of the mould with equal parts of
112 BREAD, CAKES, AND BISCUITS.
fine dried flour and caster sugar (for an average tin a table-
spoonful each of sugar and flour sifted together, will be
sufficient), then turn the mould upside down, and tap it to
drive out the loose sugar, etc., leaving a smooth even white
surface. Now fasten a strip of white buttered paper, coated
like the mould, round the top of the tin as for a soufflé, and,
when this is all firm, pour in enough cake mixture to half
fill the mould and bake as described above. A sponge cake
mould should always be got ready first, so that the moment
the mixture is ready, it may at once be put into the mould,
while the flour and sugar coating should be firm before the
mould is filled up. The appearance of a sponge cake
depends so much on the care with which the mould is
prepared that care on this point is well repaid. Do not
forget that till a sponge cake is perfectly set, it should
never be moved from a warm corner as the slightest chill is
enough to make it close and heavy at once. A quickly
made sponge cake is prepared thus: Beat the yolks of three
eggs separately till quite light, then beat them well (with a
Dover egg beater for five to seven minutes, or twelve to
fifteen minutes with a fork), then mixing in gradually and
lightly the weight of the eggs (with their shells) of caster
sugar, and beat for ten minutes or so longer; then put in
the white of the eggs whisked to a stiff froth, with a pinch
of salt, in alternate spoonfuls, with the weight of the eggs
in dried and sifted flour, as lightly and quickly as you can,
and finish off as before. A Savory Cake, used for tipsy cake
and suchlike, is usually only a plainer, less sweetened form
of sponge cake; 1lb. of eggs, 14oz. flour, and 12oz. of
sugar is the usual average. These cakes, generally baked
in a rather florid mould, need care, and a somewhat slower
oven than sponge cake, which is generally baked in a plain
tin.