Kisses.— Five ounces whites of egg, 1 pound granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 4 ounces powdered sugar. Put the granulated sugar and water in a saucepan, stir until the sugar is dissolved, then place the saucepan over the fire, and boil to a crack; have the whites beaten to a stiff froth, and add slowly the hot sugar while beating constantly with an egg beater, then beat until cold. This may then be used as it is, and if wanted very stiff, add the 4 ounces powdered sugar; stir it through the mixture lightly, then put the meringue in a kiss syringe, dust some paper with powdered sugar, press the mixture on to the paper in any shape desired. For shells it may be put on with a spoon, dust them with sugar, and bake in a slow oven. The oven may be left open part of the time. In place of paper, rub some tin pans with butter, then rub off all the butter with paper, and dust them with powdered sugar, then put the kisses on them.
Banana Cake.— Three bananas, 1 cup of currant jelly, ½ pint of whipped cream, 3 ounces butter, ¾ cup sugar, 1½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoonful baking powder, the whites of 3 eggs beaten to a stiff froth, ½ cup milk, the juice and grated rind of ½ lemon. Sift flour and baking powder together, stir butter and sugar to a cream, add the lemon, then alternately flour, milk, and the white of egg; butter 2 jelly tins of medium size, dust them with flour, divide the cake mixture evenly in the tins, and bake in a medium-hot oven. When done and cold, spread half of the jelly over one layer, cover with banana slices, lay over the second layer, put on the remaining jelly and bananas; mix the whipped cream with 1 tablespoonful fine sugar and a little vanilla, cover the whole cake with cream, or take 1 pint of whipped cream and put half of the cream between the layers and the remaining over the top, and serve.
Neapolitan Cake.— Roll out some puff paste to ⅛ inch in thickness, cut it into 3 strips 5 inches wide and about 10 inches long; moisten a large shallow tin pan with cold water, put in the strips, dust them with powdered sugar, and bake in a medium-hot oven. When done and cold, cover 1 strip with boiled vanilla cream (see recipe No. 139), put over this the second strip, and spread over some currant jelly; lay on the third strip. Mix ½ cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoonful boiling water and a few drops of lemon juice, pour it over the cake, and set aside till firm.
One-Egg Cake.— One cup sugar, 1 egg, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, 2 scant cups of flour sifted with 1 heaping teaspoonful baking powder, ½ teaspoonful extract of lemon or vanilla, 1 cup of milk; rub butter and flour together, add the sugar, milk, and egg; mix into a batter, butter a square pan, dust with flour, put in the mixture, and bake in a medium-hot oven till done. This mixture may be baked in 3 small jelly tins, and when done lay them over one another with jelly marmalade or cream between them; or bake it in a pan 12 inches long and 8 inches wide and 1½ inch deep. When done, cut the cake in half, lay them over one another with jelly or cream between, then mix 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1 teaspoonful lemon juice and 2 tablespoonfuls boiling water, stir until smooth, pour the icing over the cake, and let stand till firm.
For a chocolate cake, bake the cake the same way, then mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with the white of 1 egg; melt 4 ounces Baker’s chocolate, add it to the sugar, mix all together, put half of it between the cake, and spread the remaining over the top of the cake.
For a strawberry shortcake, bake the mixture in 2 small well buttered and floured jelly tins, wash and mash 1 quart of strawberries, mix with ½ cup sugar, put half of them between the 2 layers, and the remainder on top; serve with cream or vanilla sauce, or put some whipped cream over the strawberries.
Spice Cake.— Three fourths cup butter, 1 cup molasses, 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 3 cups flour sifted with 1½ teaspoonful baking powder, 1½ teaspoonful cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful cloves, ½ grated nutmeg, 1 cup sour milk or cold coffee. Stir butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs one at a time, stir a few minutes between each addition, add molasses and spice, then alternately flour and milk. Butter a square cake pan, dust with flour, pour in the cake mixture, and bake in medium-hot oven; or bake small cakes in gem pans and when cold ice them with sugar glaze.
Molasses Cake.— One cup molasses, ½ cup butter, 2 eggs, ½ cup milk, ½ tablespoonful ginger, 2 cups flour sifted with 1 teaspoonful baking powder. Mix and bake the same as above.
Gingerbread.— One cup brown sugar, 1 cup molasses, ½ cup butter or lard, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoonful ginger, ½ teaspoonful ground mace, ½ cup cold coffee, ½ teaspoonful salt, 1 heaping teaspoonful baking powder sifted with 3 cups of flour. Stir butter or lard with the sugar to a cream, add the eggs one at a time, stirring a few minutes between each addition; then add the spice and syrup, last the flour and coffee alternately; pour the mixture into a square or long pan previously well buttered and dusted with flour; bake in a medium-hot oven.
Ginger Snaps.— Half pound brown sugar, ½ pound butter, 1 pint molasses, 1 tablespoonful ginger, 1 teaspoonful cloves, 2 teaspoonfuls cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful baking powder sifted with 2 cups flour. Stir butter and sugar to a cream, add the molasses and spice; when well mixed add flour and work it into a soft dough; if necessary, add more flour, roll out very thin, cut into rounds, and bake on buttered tins.