Measuring.—Flour, sugar, salt, ground spices, soda, must always be sifted before measuring. This is of the utmost importance in making good cakes.
A cup is a breakfast-cup holding half a pint. The spoons are the silver ones in general use.
A spoonful of dry material is one in which the convexity at the top corresponds to the concavity of the spoon. A scant spoonful should be made level with the edges of the spoon.
In measuring half a tea-spoon of dry material, fill it first, and then divide it with a knife long-ways down the spoon.
A “heaping cupful” is a cup filled as full as it will hold. A “cupful” should be levelled. A “scant cupful” should not be filled above about quarter of an inch from the top.
It is necessary to remember in measuring half or quarter cups that a cup is smaller at the bottom than the top. It is more satisfactory measuring to have half-pint measures marked into quarters.
Table of Measures
4 cups flour = 1 quart or 1 lb.
2 cups of butter (solid) = 1 lb.
2¹⁄₂ cups powdered sugar = 1 lb.
1 cup = ¹⁄₂ pint
1 glass = ¹⁄₂ pint
1 pint milk or water = 1 lb.
9 large eggs = 1 lb.
1 table-spoon butter = 1 oz.
1 heaping table-spoon butter = 2 ozs.
Butter the size of an egg = 2 ozs.
Baking Powder.—Baking powder can be used in the making of most cakes. In some however the proportion of carbonate of soda and cream of tartar of which it consists is not right, in which case the two ingredients should be used separately according to the directions. Almost invariably soda should be mixed with milk or water, which should then be strained in order to keep back any dregs. Cream of tartar should be mixed with the flour, which should then be sifted. Both cream of tartar and soda should be pulverized before they are measured or used.
Baking powder can be bought, or made as follows:—