good beating; add in the eggs one at a time, beating them after each addition of eggs; and when all these ingredients are in, add the flour and carefully mix, using a little milk if necessary to bring the mixture to proper cake-batter consistency. Turn the preparation into round tins, lined at the bottoms and sides with white greased paper. Bake it from 1½ to 2 hours, and let the oven be well-heated when the cake is first put in, otherwise the currants will all sink to the bottom. A glass of wine is sometimes added to the mixture, but this is scarcely necessary, as the cake will be found quite rich enough without it.
Time.—1½ to 2 hours. Average Cost, 3s. Sufficient.—The above quantity can be divided in 2 or more cakes as desired.
3402.—QUEEN CAKES. (Fr.—Gâteau à la Reine.)
Ingredients.—1 lb. of flour, ½ a lb. of butter, ½ a lb. of castor sugar, 3 eggs, 1 teacupful of cream, ½ a lb. of currants, 1 teaspoonful of baking-powder, essence of lemon, or almonds, to taste.
Method.—Sieve the baking-powder well with the flour on to a sheet of paper. Put the butter, sugar and cream into a clean basin, and beat up to a light cream. Add the eggs 1 at a time. When all the eggs are in, add the flour and fruit, and moisten with milk to the consistency of cake-batter. Put it into small buttered tins, and bake the cakes from a ¼ to ½ an hour. Grated lemon-rind may be substituted for the lemon and almond flavouring, and will make the cakes equally nice.
Time.—¼ to ½ hour. Average Cost, 1s. 9d. Sufficient for 2 or 3 dozen small cakes.
3403.—RAISIN CAKES.
Ingredients.—1 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of fine flour, 1 lb. of castor sugar, 6 eggs, 1 liqueur-glassful of brandy, 1 teaspoonful of nutmeg, ½ a teaspoonful of baking-powder, 1 lb. of stoned raisins.
Method.—Beat the butter to a cream, then add the sugar, the brandy and nutmeg, and well beat. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition of eggs, and when all are in, add the flour, with the baking-powder sifted in. Then mix in the stoned and chopped raisins. Bake in a paper-lined, greased tin for 1¼ hours in a moderate oven.
Time.—1¼ hours. Average Cost, 3s. Sufficient for 1 medium-sized cake.
3404.—RICE CAKE.
Ingredients.—½ a lb. of ground rice, ½ a lb. of flour, ½ a lb. of castor sugar, 4 eggs, a few drops of essence of lemon, or the grated rind of ½ a lemon, ¼ a lb. of butter.
