LATEST RECEIPTS. [1882]
GINGER CUP-CAKE. A nice ginger cupcake is made of two cups of powdered sugar, stirred to a cream with two cups of butter. The butter may first be warmed until it is soft, but not melted; and three well-beaten eggs, a cup of molasses, four cups of flour, a table-spoonful of ginger, and one of soda, the soda dissolved in a little hot water. Mix well, and bake in buttered gem-pans, in a moderate oven.
WHITE FRUIT CAKE. One cup of butter and two cups of white sugar well beaten together; one cup of milk, two and a half cups of flour, the whites of seven eggs, two even spoonfuls of baking powder; beat all well before adding fruit. Take one pound each of raisins, figs, dates and blanched almonds, and one-quarter of a pound of citron; cut all fine. Stir fruit in last with a sifting of flour over it. Bake slowly.
TAPIOCA JELLY. Soak two table-spoonfuls of tapioca over night in water enough to cover. Scald the milk, then put in the tapioca, and let it boil a few minutes or until the grains rise to the top; then add the yelks of the eggs and and sugar beaten together. Beat the whites to a stiff froth, and lay on the top; let it scald through, then whisk it lightly through, pour in molds, and set in a cool place. This is really delicious.
GREEN TOMATO SAUCE. One gallon of green tomatoes and 1 pint of onions chopped fine, 2 pints of vinegar, 1 pint of sugar, 2 table-spoonfuls of salt, 1 table-spoonful black pepper (ground), 1 tablespoonful of cloves (either whole or ground), 1-1/2 table-spoonfuls of table mustard, 1 table-spoonful red pepper, and boil all together until quite tender, it is best sealed up in air tight jars. This is a delicious sauce for fresh meats in winter.
BREAKFAST MUFFINS. One egg, two teacupfuls of sour milk, one-third of a teacupful (scant measure) of fried meat drippings, one small tea-spoonful of salt, two tea-spoonfuls of soda, and flour to make of about the consistency of cake. Beat the egg till light; add the milk, salt and flour, and stir all till smooth; then stir in the gravy, and lastly the soda. Have the gem or muffin-tins hot and well-greased; fill each, and bake in a very quick oven.
From: Friday December 29, 1882 Farmer’s Cabinet (Amherst, New Hampshire) page 4
Have you made any of these?
Not yet Amy, I haven’t made these but the white fruit cake looks tempting. I am a “fresh fruit cake” fan. I didn’t eat it for years because my first taste was some from a tin container that apparently had been re-gifted for a few years and was stale. So I thought the horrific tasting stuff was how they all tasted. I’ll let you know how it goes.
LOL! I’ve never even tried fruitcake because all I can think of is the canned variety. Let me know!
My Mom made and shipped me the BEST fruitcake in ’78. I immediately asked her to send the recipe and then she forgot about it. I’ve never found one close to it….if you run across a recipe like what I will describe ~ PLEASE send it to me! I hate the “candied fruit” always found in fruitcake!! This was a molasses based cake and probably had raisins & maybe figs. It had a TON of nuts -almonds, walnuts & Brazil nuts. It was very dense. And yummy! I always check the recipes but have yet to find it.