Music Welcome to Snusecast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us on snusecast.com and follow us on Instagram at snusecast to find behind the scenes content. If you enjoy our show, please write a review on the Apple Podcasts app. Please know that we read and appreciate every single one. Here's a recent review we loved. The subject line is magical. It goes, this podcast is magical. I struggle with nighttime anxiety, often getting anxious about the idea of not being able to fall asleep, which certainly doesn't help me fall asleep. After a few weeks of listening to snooze cast at bedtime, I'm finding myself actually looking forward to crawling into bed. The stories are so comforting and cozy. The cooking episodes are wonderful as well. Delicious, rich language for the mind to hold onto. Though sometimes I even fall asleep before the introduction is over. Thank you so much to whomever wrote this lovely review. I'm personally familiar with nighttime anxiety,

and it sounds like you agree that sleep stories are the perfect antidote. This episode is brought to you by our Patreon supporters and by pastry flower. Tonight we'll read about baking cakes from the woman's institute library of cookery, volume 4.

This was the same book we have read selections for the original bread time episode, along with the baking cookies episode. The woman's institute was founded by Mary Brooks Pickin in Scranton, PA. Born in Kansas in 1886,

Picken wrote the first dictionary to be published by a woman in the English. in Scranton, PA. Born in Kansas in 1886,

Picking wrote the first dictionary

to be published by a woman in the English language

beyond the over 100 other books she wrote.

Let's get cozy.

Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed. Now, take a few deep breaths. Cake and pudding mixtures in the diet. Cake is a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, butter and liquid that is baked in the oven in a variety of forms and distinguished by a tender texture and a sweet flavor. Closely allied to cake mixtures proper are many others, including cookies, small cakes and putings. While these differ from cakes in some respects, they are similar in use, ingredients, or methods of preparation. Because of this similarity, a A number of these related mixtures are taken up in connection with cakes. Foods of this class, which are usually served as dessert, are for the most part considered as luxuries and, of course, are not used so extensively in the diet as other classes of foods. However, sweet food is required to assert an extent in each person's diet, and it may be obtained in this agreeable form without overbalancing the food account if a little economy is practiced elsewhere. Thus, a small quantity of cake or pudding that is light, not too rich, and properly made, be served without injury to most persons as a dessert, or as an accompaniment to a dessert. For children, the less rich and sweet mixtures, such as cookies, are preferable to rich cake and very sweet confections and may be fed to them occasionally. Because of the almost unlimited variation in the proportion of ingredients, considerable variety exists in desserts of this kind, cakes range from those made with only eggs for leavening to those containing very few eggs and having the standard proportion of other leavening agents. For instance, there is sponge cake which contains no shortening and no leavening except eggs. contrast with butter cake, which has much shortening or little as the case may be, and requires proportionate quantities of flour and leavening other than eggs. Then, there are soft rich cookies containing shortening and sugar, and the harder, less rich ones containing a greater proportion of flour. In addition to cakes and puddings proper, there are many mixtures that can scarcely be classed as cakes at all.

A few of them, such as morangs, are so sweet and delicate that they could be considered as confections, but they are discussed in connection with cakes because they take the place of cake in the meal. The peculiar paste used used for the making of cream puffs and eclairs are not in reality cakes. Nor are they real pastry, but because they are served as desserts and belong somewhere in this class, they are included here. Donuts are perhaps more often thought of as quickbreds than as cakes. However, the mixtures used for them are sweet. They differ from the mixtures for cakes only in being less rich, but by the peculiar method of their preparation in deep fat, these foods become richer than the majority of cakes. Then there are a few varieties of cakes, made with yeast, which are related to cake in some respects, and can well be taken up in this connection. The proportions of liquid to flour for the various kinds of cake mixtures do not differ materially from those of the batters and doves given in hot breads, still, they increased amount of sugar, eggs, and shortening must always be considered. For these ingredients, make considerable variation in the general proportions. All that is said in hot breads concerning leavening agents and the proportions in which they are used applies with equal force to the making of cakes. To be able to make foods of this nature well is one of the triumphs of any modern cook, but this accomplishment not beyond the limitations of any who masters the principles of cookery and diligently applies them to this part of the subject. In addition to making desserts that are merely palatable, you can, with a little practice, learn to decorate these foods, particularly cakes, both attractively and artistically. When you are equipped with such knowledge, you will be able to present to your family many varieties of this pleasing dessert. Cake ingredients used, necessary ingredients, quality of ingredients. The materials used in the making of cakes should be of as good quality as possible and when when put into the cake, they should be in the best condition. In this phase of cookery, as in all others, better results are obtained when good materials are used. Besides possessing this general characteristic, certain of the ingredients requires special attention. Fat for cakes. The fat used for cakes must necessarily be of an agreeable flavor, and for this reason butter is the kind in general use. There are, of course, other fats that may be used to advantage, either as part or all of the fat required. However, when another fat is to take the place of butter, one that is practically flavorless should be chosen. Julio Margerin, Ovarius K kinds, Crisco, and even some of the liquid fats are very satisfactory, especially in the making of cookies. Swedening for cakes. Numerous varieties of sugar may be employed in the making of cakes. Probably granulated sugar is used more frequently than any other, but brown sugar, soft sugar, and confectioner sugar all have a place in cake making. Any of these may be used in the preparation of icing as well as for the ingredient of the cake itself. Leavening for cakes. An important source of leavening in cakes is eggs. For cakes to be most satisfactory, the eggs employee should be strictly fresh. During the season when they are scarce and consequently high in price, recipes that require only a few eggs should be prepared. Baking powder which is also an important leavening in, should be of an approved brand that can be relied on to do the work expected of it. Soda and cream of tartar are sometimes used together, and again, soda is used alone with molasses or sour milk. For every three eggs in a cake mixture, one teaspoonful of the baking powder called for in the recipe may be omitted. Altitude affects the amount of baking powder required in cakes. The quantity given in the recipe is correct for for altitudes varying from sea level to half a mile high, but it should be reduced one-fifth at an elevation of one mile and three-tenths at an elevation of 7,000 feet. for cakes. Milk, as a rule, is the liquid used in cake making. It may be skim milk or whole milk. It may consist of part water and part milk, or it may be entirely water, depending on the kind of cake. A large number of eggs are used in a cake, very little liquid is employed. Sometimes the liquid consists of molasses and sour milk used together separately, or with some other liquid. Flower for cakes. The flower used in the preparation of cakes may be bread, pastry, or blend flour, depending on the kind of cake desired. While a blend or an all-purpose flower makes a satisfactory cake, pastry flour, which is milled from soft winter wheat, or better still cake flour, is more nearly ideal as the excess gluten is removed, and it is much finer milled. Hence it produces a lighter, finer, more delicate cake. Wheat flour is the kind that is generally used, but other flowers such as white corn mill, rice flour and potato flour, though producing a drying effect are sometimes combined with wheat. A table spoonful of cornstarch sifted with the bread or hard wheat flour is an improvement over straight bread flour, But as it has a drawing effect, it is not to be recommended. Miscellaneous Ingredients 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 an 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 all 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. Currents and raisins As has already been learned, currents and raisins are varieties of dried grapes. Currents do not contain seeds, but raisins come in both seeded and seedless varieties. And either of these are satisfactory for cakemaking. 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, currents are not very satisfactory and consequently are usually replaced by raisins, which may be used either chopped or whole for any of the purposes currents are used. If small raisins are desired, saltanas, 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 currents 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 the dirt or other foreign material is removed. clean, allow them to dry as thoroughly as possible before using them. Miscellaneous fruits Fruits other than currents and raisins are often used in the preparation of cakes. 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. which are very hard as, for instance, figs and citron must 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, fruits, fruits, fruits, fruits, fruits, fruits the finished cake. 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 in 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 chilled.. 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.

Coconut the nuts in the shells and shelling them at home. 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 or over the top of the cake. 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 somewhat hard or is mixed with the milk of the coconut or with glycerin which keeps it soft. Much more satisfactory coconut can be secured by procuring a coconut, cracking open the shell, moving 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. Chocolate and cocoa. Materials that are much used for flavoring cake mixtures and icing are chocolate and cocoa. Chocolate is sold in pound and a 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.

Coco 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. 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 brand 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. 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 icing that contain fruits nuts spices and chocolate. 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.

General classes of cakes.

Although many varieties of cake can be made, they may all be put into two general classes, sponge cake and butter cake. These classes may also be regarded as cake made without butter and cake made with butter. it is the presence or absence of fat in a cake mixture that makes a difference in the method of mixing the ingredients and determines the texture after baking. While there are many true examples of each of these classes, It must be remembered that there are also numerous variations of the two, which must be placed in either one or the other of these classes. For instance, a true sponge cake does not contain baking powder, but some recipes for sponge cake are given in which baking powder is included. Such recipes must be regarded as variations of sponge cake, for they are more similar to that than to a butter cake. ingredients are not, however, the only source of difference between these two general classes of cakes. They also differ as to the methods used to combine the ingredients, the correct of the temperature for baking and the length of time required for the baking.

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