Read CAKES. of Desserts and Salads , free online book, by Gesine Lemcke, on ReadCentral.com.

Cheese Torte. One pound fresh pot cheese, 1/2 pint sour cream, 1-1/2 ounce sweet almonds, 1-1/2 ounce bitter almonds, 1 cup seedless raisins, 2 tablespoonfuls flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoonful butter, 6 eggs, 1/4 teaspoonful salt. Blanche and grind the almonds fine or grate them on a nutmeg grater; stir sugar, butter, and yolks to a cream, add all the ingredients, and last the beaten whites; mix well and set aside till following paste is made: Sift 1 pint of flour with 1 teaspoonful baking powder into a bowl, add 2 tablespoonfuls sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful salt, and 1 tablespoonful butter. Rub the butter fine in the flour, add 1 cup of milk and 1 egg, mix together into a firm dough, work it lightly on a board till it does not stick to the hands, then roll it out thin. Butter a large cheesecake pan, dust it with flour, and line the pan with the dough; pour in the cheese preparation, and bake in medium-hot oven till nearly done. In the meantime stir the yolks of 2 eggs with 3 tablespoonfuls granulated sugar to a cream, add 1 teaspoonful lemon juice and little grated rind, add the 2 beaten whites, and stir the whole 10 minutes; add last 3 level tablespoonfuls flour. When the cake is firm to the touch remove it from the oven, pour over this last mixture, and bake till done. Serve cold, dusted with sugar. The bitter almonds may be omitted if objected to, and the cake pan may be lined with puff paste or fine pie crust.

Pistachio Torte. Four ounces almond paste, 4 ounces ground pistachio nuts or almonds, the yolks of 16 eggs, the whites of 8 eggs, 3 ounces flour, 1/2 pound sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful extract of pistachio; rub the almond paste with the white of 1 egg fine; add the 16 yolks and sugar; stir 15 minutes, then add the ground pistachio nuts or almonds; continue the stirring 10 minutes; add the extract; beat the whites to a stiff froth; add the yolk mixture to the whites while beating constantly; beat the whole together 5 minutes; add the sifted flour; stir the flour in lightly; butter 2 large deep jelly-cake tins and dust them with the flour; fill in the mixture and bake in a slow oven. Filling: Boil 1/2 cup of sugar, with 1/2 cup water to a caramel, then add it slowly to the beaten whites of 2 eggs; beat until cold; add 1/2 teaspoonful vanilla sugar, 1/2 cupful fine-cut candied pineapples, 1/2 cupful fine-chopped pistachio nuts or almonds; spread this filling over one layer, put on the remaining layer. Ice the cake with pistachio icing made as follows: Mix 1-1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar with 3 tablespoonfuls boiling water and a little green coloring and pistachio flavoring; pour over the cake and let stand till firm.

Kugelhupf, also called Bunt Kuchen. One pound flour, 10 ounces butter, 2 yeast cakes, 6 whole eggs and 6 yolks, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful salt, 1 cupful seeded raisins; break the yeast into a small bowl, add 1/2 cupful lukewarm milk and 1 teaspoonful sugar; let it stand till the yeast rises to the surface, then add 1/2 cupful of flour, mix to a stiff batter; cover and let stand till it is a light sponge. In the meantime stir butter and sugar to a cream; add the yolks one at a time, then alternately a little flour and 1 whole egg, till all are used; beat this with the right hand 10 minutes; add the raisins, and last the sponge; continue to beat 5 minutes; butter a large ribbed form with tube in the center; dust with powdered sugar, pour in the cake mixture; set the form in a warm place till the contents has risen to double its size; then place the form on a tin with salt and bake in a medium-hot oven about 45 minutes. When done, take it out of the oven, let it stand a few minutes, then turn the cake out of the form, dust it with sugar, and serve when cold.

Jelly Roll. One half pound sugar, 9 ounces flour, 1 teaspoonful baking powder, 1 gill of milk (1/2 cupful), 3 eggs, 1/2 teaspoonful lemon extract; sift flour, sugar, and powder into a bowl and make a hollow in the center; put in milk, eggs, and lemon extract, mix all together; butter a large shallow tin pan, cover with paper, spread on the mixture thin and evenly, bake in slow oven. When done, remove the pan, let it stand a few minutes to cool off a little, then turn it upside down on a clean piece of paper, remove the paper carefully from the cake which has laid in the pan, spread some currant jelly over the surface, roll the cake up like a music roll, let it lie rolled in the paper till cold. This preparation is also nice for lady fingers.

Election Cake. One and a half pint lukewarm milk, 1 pound sugar, 1/2 pound lard, 1/2 pound butter, 2 pounds flour, the whites of 4 eggs, 1 pound citron, 1 pound seeded raisins, 1 teaspoonful mace, 1/2 cupful rum, 3 yeast cakes. Break the yeast into a cup of lukewarm milk, add 1 teaspoonful sugar, set the cup in a warm place till the yeast rises to the surface, put 1 cupful flour into a bowl, add the yeast, mix into a stiff batter, cover, and set in a warm place to rise till the sponge is very light. In the meantime stir butter, lard, and sugar to a cream, add the mace, then alternately milk and flour, then the fruit and rum, and last the 4 whites beaten to a stiff froth; beat the whole with the hand 10 minutes, then add the sponge; continue to beat a few minutes longer, cover, and set it in a warm place to rise till double its size; butter and dust with flour a large round cake pan, pour in the cake mixture, and bake in a medium-hot oven till done. When cold, ice the cake with rum icing.

Small Sponge Cake. Three eggs, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup flour, the grated rind of 1/2 lemon, and a little lemon juice. Stir the 3 yolks with the sugar 15 minutes, then add the lemon; beat the whites to a stiff froth, add them to the yolks, and beat till the sugar is all dissolved, which will take about 10 minutes, then sift in the flour, stir the flour in lightly; butter and dust with flour a small round pan, pour in the mixture, and bake in a slow oven.

Apple Ringlets. Peel, core, and cut into thick slices 4 large tart apples, mix 1/2 cup of flour with 1/2 teaspoonful baking powder, 1/2 teaspoonful butter, and 1/2 teaspoonful salt. Break 1 egg into 1/2 cup of cold water, beat until it foams, add the water and egg to the flour, and mix into a batter. Melt 1 tablespoonful lard and butter in a frying pan, dip the apple slices into the batter, put them into the frying pan, not too many at once, and fry light brown on both sides, keeping the pan covered while the frying is going on. Serve dusted with sugar.

Baking-Powder Rolls. One pint flour, 1 heaping teaspoonful baking powder, 1/2 tablespoonful butter, 1/2 teaspoonful salt, 1/2 pint milk, 1 egg, 1 teaspoonful sugar. Sift flour, salt, sugar, and powder into a bowl, add the butter and rub it fine with the flour, mix the egg and milk together, pour a little of the egg milk into a cup, add the remaining to the flour, mix all together with a knife into a firm dough, turn it on to a floured board, and work it together to smooth the dough, roll it out 1/4 inch in thickness, then cut it into rounds, brush them over with a little melted butter, fold them over and set them on a buttered tin, brush the rolls over with the egg milk which was set aside, and bake in a quick oven. A good plan is to keep the rolls covered with buttered paper the first 10 minutes while baking.

Waffles. Four ounces butter, 6 eggs, 4 ounces flour, 1 tablespoonful sugar, a pinch of mace, and a little grated lemon rind, 1/2 pint whipped cream. Stir the butter to a cream, add alternately 1 yolk, then a little flour until both are used, add the sugar, the mace, and lemon, then the whipped cream, and last 5 whites whipped to a stiff froth; rub a waffle iron with fork, pour 1 tablespoonful batter into each compartment, and bake the waffles light brown on both sides. Serve dusted with sugar.

Gâteau a la Weckesser. Half pound of granulated sugar, 13 yolks, 9 whites, 1/2 pound flour, and the rind and juice of 1 lemon. Stir sugar and yolks for 25 minutes by the clock, then beat the whites to a stiff froth; add the yolks and sugar slowly to the white while beating constantly, add the lemon, continue the beating 5 minutes, then add the sifted flour, stir in lightly; butter a large round pan and dust it with flour, pour in the batter, place the cake on a pan of salt, and bake in a slow oven. When done, turn it on to a board, which should be dusted with powdered sugar; let it lie till cold, then spread a layer of pineapple marmalade over the cake, ice it with white sugar glaze, and decorate the cake with candied fruit, of plums, apricots, and cherries. The fruit must be cut into small slices and the cherries in small dice.

Lady Cake. Six ounces butter, 1/2 pound sugar, 1 pound flour, 10 whites of eggs, 1/2 pint whipped cream, 1 teaspoonful baking powder, 1 teaspoonful vanilla sugar. Stir butter and sugar to a cream until white and frothy, add the vanilla sugar, sift flour and baking powder together, beat 1/2 pint cream until stiff; beat also the 10 whites to a stiff froth, then add alternately the three ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar; butter and dust with flour a large round pan, pour in the mixture, and bake in a medium-hot oven. When done and cold, ice it with clear icing.

Denmark Cake. Two pounds flour, 2 teaspoonfuls baking powder, 1-3/4 pound sugar, 1 pound butter, 2 pounds raisins, 8 eggs, 1 pint sweet milk, 1/2 pint wine, 3 tablespoonfuls allspice, 3 tablespoonfuls cinnamon, 4 nutmegs. Sift flour and baking powder together, stir butter and sugar to a cream, add gradually the yolks and spice, then alternately milk, flour, and wine, last the fruit. Bake in a large well-buttered pan in medium-hot oven.

Stullen with Baking Powder. One pound flour sifted with 1/2 teaspoonful salt, 2 teaspoonfuls baking powder, 1/2 cup of butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 eggs, the fine-chopped peel of 1/2 lemon, 1 cupful seeded raisins, 1/2 cupful fine-cut citron, 3/4 cup of milk. Rub flour and butter together, add sugar, salt, milk, and eggs, mix all together; add last the fruit, turn the dough on to a floured board and work it a little to smooth the dough, then roll it out 1 inch in thickness, fold it over and lay the cake in a buttered pan, giving it the shape of a half moon; brush over with beaten egg and bake in medium-hot oven.

Wine Baba. One pound flour, 2 teaspoonfuls baking powder, 1 teaspoonful salt, 4 ounces butter, 3 tablespoonfuls sugar, the fine-chopped peel of 1 lemon, 4 eggs, 1/2 pint milk, 1/2 cup currants, 1/2 cup seeded raisins, 1/2 cup fine-cut citron. Sift flour and baking powder together, stir butter and sugar to a cream, add by degrees the yolks and lemon, then alternately flour and milk, next add the fruit, and last the beaten whites. Fill the mixture into a buttered form with a tube in the center, place it in a medium-hot oven, and bake about 40 minutes or till done. In the meantime boil 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water 5 minutes, remove from fire, add 1 gill sherry wine and a few tablespoonfuls of raspberry syrup. When the cake is done turn it on to a sieve, place the sieve on a large plate, and pour the syrup by spoonfuls over the cake; pour that which runs below in the plate over the cake again.

Bunt Kuchen with Baking Powder. One pint flour, 1 heaping teaspoonful baking powder, 1/2 teaspoonful salt, 3 tablespoonfuls sugar, 2 ounces butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 pint milk, 1/2 cup currants, 1/2 cup stoned raisins, the grated rind of 1/2 lemon. Sift flour and baking powder together, add the sugar, salt, and butter, rub the butter fine in the flour, mix the yolks with the milk and add them to the flour, mix all into a dough, add the fruit, and last the beaten whites. Fill the mixture into a round buttered form with a tube in center and bake about 35 minutes; cover the first 20 minutes with buttered paper.

Emelines. First Part: The whites of 6 eggs, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup flour sifted with 1 teaspoonful baking powder, 1/2 teaspoonful lemon extract, 1 tablespoonful melted butter, measured after it is melted, 2 tablespoonfuls milk. Beat the whites till stiff, then add gradually the sugar, butter, lemon extract, and milk, and last the flour. Butter a long shallow tin pan (13 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 1 inch deep), dust it with flour, pour in the mixture, smooth it even with a knife, and bake in a medium-hot oven.

Second Part: The yolks of 6 eggs, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup flour sifted with 1 teaspoonful baking powder, 2 tablespoonfuls milk, 1 tablespoonful butter, 1/2 teaspoonful lemon extract. Stir butter, sugar, and yolks to a cream, add lemon extract, flour, and milk; bake the same as the first part. When the cakes are nearly cold lay them over one another with a layer of jelly between, then cut it into fancy shapes like half moons, small rounds, and squares; glaze them with sugar glaze N. In place of jelly, cream or any other filling may be taken. The two cakes may be spread separately with jelly, then rolled up like jelly rolls.

Sand Wafers. Stir 4 ounces butter with 6 tablespoonfuls sugar till light and creamy, add gradually 3 eggs, the grated rind of 1/2 lemon, stir 15 minutes, add last 7 ounces sifted flour. Fill the preparation in a pastry bag, butter and dust with flour some large shallow tin pans, press small cakes from the bag on to the pans the size of a 50-cent piece, and bake in medium-hot oven. When done and cold, glaze them with fruit glaze or leave them plain.

Cream S. Stir 1/2 pound butter with 6 ounces sugar to a cream, add 1 teaspoonful vanilla sugar and 4 eggs, stir 10 minutes; add last 1/2 pound of sifted flour. Put the preparation into a kiss syringe and press small cakes in the shape of an S into buttered and floured pans, bake in medium-hot oven, and when cold glaze them with vanilla glaze.

Aniseed Wafers. Rub some shallow tin pans with wax, place 1/2 pound sugar and 4 whole eggs in a bowl, set the bowl into a pan of hot water, beat the contents of bowl with an egg beater 15 minutes, then remove and beat till cold; add 1 teaspoonful well-cleaned aniseed and 1/2 pound sifted flour, fill the mixture into a pastry bag and press small cakes on to the waxed tins, cover and let them stand till next day, when the little cakes have obtained a crust, then bake them in slow oven.

Cinnamon Sticks. Four ounces of almond paste, the white of 1 egg, 4 ounces powdered sugar, 1 teaspoonful cinnamon. Mix all together, put on to a floured board; roll it out 1/8 inch thick, cut the paste into 3 long strips 3 fingers wide, spread over an icing made as follows: Mix the whites of 2 eggs with 1/2 pound powdered sugar, add 1/2 teaspoonful cinnamon and a few drops of lemon juice, stir 5 minutes, then cut the strips into small sticks a finger wide, lay them on to buttered tins, and bake in a slow oven.

Meringue Shells. Beat the whites of 4 eggs to a stiff froth, add 1/2 pound granulated sugar and a little vanilla sugar, stir the sugar in lightly; fill this into a pastry bag or a paper funnel; press small portions on to a double-folded paper, dust thickly with sugar, lay the paper in a pan, and bake in a slow oven. When done and cold, remove them from the paper, press the soft bottoms into shape to form a shell, and serve filled with whipped sweetened cream or ice cream.

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, 1/2 pint of whipped cream, 3 ounces butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1-1/2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoonful baking powder, the whites of 3 eggs beaten to a stiff froth, 1/2 cup milk, the juice and grated rind of 1/2 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 1/8 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 N, put over this the second strip, and spread over some currant jelly; lay on the third strip. Mix 1/2 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, 1/2 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 1-1/2 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 1/2 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 1-1/2 teaspoonful baking powder, 1-1/2 teaspoonful cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful cloves, 1/2 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, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 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, 1/2 cup butter or lard, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoonful ginger, 1/2 teaspoonful ground mace, 1/2 cup cold coffee, 1/2 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, 1/2 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.

Corn Bread. One pint of corn meal, 1/2 cup of flour, 1 teaspoonful baking powder, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoonful salt, 1-1/2 tablespoonful sugar, 1 cup milk. Mix all together and bake in a well-buttered square tin pan. This bread should be about 1-1/2 inch thick when done.