13. In addition to the ingredients that have just been mentioned, there
are numerous other ingredients that are often used in cakes. Some of
them are used for the purpose of adding flavor and variety to otherwise
plain cakes, while many of them are used entirely for the purpose of
flavoring. These ingredients, like the necessary ones, should be of
excellent quality. It is essential that their use and value be
understood, for by means of them pleasing variety may often be secured
with just a plain-cake recipe. For instance, a plain cake as a
foundation may be varied by using with it raisins, nuts, spices,
coconut, preserved fruits of various kinds, or flavoring of some sort.
To be able to use these ingredients properly, it is well for the
housewife to be familiar with their nature and the treatment that must
be given to them before they can be used.
14. CURRANTS AND RAISINS.--As has already been learned, currants and
raisins are varieties of dried grapes. Currants do not contain seeds,
but raisins come in both seeded and seedless varieties, and either of
these are satisfactory for cake making. Currants are often dry and hard,
and as they are usually very dirty they require considerable cleaning to
prevent them from being gritty when the cake is eaten. Because of these
facts, currants are not very satisfactory and consequently are usually
replaced by raisins, which may be used, either chopped or whole, for any
of the purposes currants are used. If small raisins are desired,
sultanas, which are a small, light-colored, and mild-flavored variety,
are the best to purchase. These two fruits increase the food value of
the mixtures to which they are added. Raisins, being extremely high in
carbohydrate, are especially valuable as an ingredient.
Before currants and raisins are used in cake mixtures, they should be
thoroughly cleaned. To clean them, place them in a colander, and then
turn a stream of cold water over them and rub them between the fingers
until all dirt or other foreign material is removed. When clean, allow
them to dry as thoroughly as possible before using them.
15. MISCELLANEOUS FRUITS.--Fruits other than currants and raisins are
often used in the preparation of cakes and puddings. These, which may be
dried, canned, or preserved, include dates, figs, citron, apricots,
prunes, cherries, plums, pears, peaches, and pineapple. Candied orange
and lemon peel are generally used in the preparation of fruit cake. All
of these fruits add food value and flavor.
A certain amount of preparation must be given to fruits before they can
be used in cakes. All of them except the canned fruits must be
thoroughly washed, and some of them, such as dates, must have the stones
removed. Those which are very hard, as, for instance, figs and citron,
may be steamed to make them soft. The steaming may be done by placing
the fruit in a colander over a vessel of boiling water and covering the
colander to retain the steam. When treated in this manner, these fruits
will cut more easily and will be softer and more moist in the
finished cake.
16. NUTS.--In the making of cakes, nuts of almost any variety may be
utilized. Not only do they add a large amount of food value in the form
of fat, but they increase the richness of the cake and provide a very
delightful flavor. The nut meats are generally too large in size to be
used whole, and so they must be made smaller before they are added to
the mixture. They may be put through a chopper, but usually it is
preferable to chop them with a chopping knife in a bowl or cut them into
pieces with a paring knife.
It should be remembered, however, that the use of nuts in a cake adds
greatly to the cost, for, with the exception of peanuts, they are rather
expensive, particularly when they are bought shelled. As can readily be
understood, both the nuts themselves and the labor involved in removing
the shells must be paid for. The cost, of course, may be reduced by
buying the nuts in the shells and shelling them at home.
17. COCONUT.--The flesh of the coconut when shredded is much used in the
preparation of cakes, being put in the cake mixture or used in
connection with icing between the layers and over the top layer. Coconut
may be purchased already shredded in boxes or cans, or it may be
obtained in the shells and then shredded at home. That which is prepared
commercially either is dried, when it will be found to be somewhat hard,
or is mixed with the milk of the coconut or with glycerine, which keeps
it soft. Much more satisfactory coconut can be secured by procuring a
coconut, cracking open the shell, removing the flesh, and then grating
or grinding it. Coconut of this kind will be found to be very delicious
and will make excellent cake. In case coconut becomes dry and hard
before it is used, it can be softened by steaming it in the manner in
which dried fruits are steamed.
18. CHOCOLATE AND COCOA.--Materials that are much used for flavoring
cake mixtures and icings are chocolate and cocoa. Chocolate is sold in
pound and half-pound cakes in both the bitter and the sweetened form,
while cocoa is sold in packages or bottles in powder form. The bitter
chocolate gives the greatest amount of food value and flavor and is
therefore used the most. Cocoa is neither so strong in flavor nor so
high in food value as chocolate, but it can be substituted for chocolate
when this is not in supply.
19. SPICES.--In many kinds of cake, spices are needed to give the
desired flavor. When they are to be used for this purpose, they should
be obtained in the ground form and then mixed with the dry ingredients.
The principal varieties used in cakes are cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and
allspice. Sometimes a combination of all these is added to the mixture,
but very often just a little cinnamon or a mild flavoring of nutmeg is
all that is required. When spices are purchased, the best possible
brands should be selected, because these things are very easily
adulterated with other materials and adulterated spices have not so much
strength as the better kinds.
20. FLAVORING EXTRACTS.--In cake preparation, almost more than in any
other part of cookery, flavoring extracts have a place. They are used in
plain cakes that do not contain any of the other miscellaneous
ingredients, and some of them are also added to many cake mixtures and
icings that contain fruits, nuts, spices, chocolate, etc. Vanilla, which
is an alcoholic extract of the vanilla bean, is probably used more
frequently than any other flavoring. The alcoholic extracts of orange,
lemon, almond, pistachio, and various other flavors are also valuable in
cake making. When any of these flavorings are used in cakes, it should
be remembered that much of their strength is lost through the baking.
Therefore, in order that the cake may be well flavored after it is
baked, a comparatively large quantity of flavoring must be used.