JUST DESSERTS: THE COOKBOOK OF ONLY DESSERTS

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 egg whites

Cream butter until very light, gradually adding one cup of the sugar. Work in sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk to which vanilla has been added, beating thoroughly after each addition. Beat egg whites until stiff with remaining sugar, fold into batter and bake in two greased layer cake pans in moderately hot oven (370° F.) about 20 minutes. When cold fill and frost with Marshmallow Filling and Frosting or bake in a shallow greased pan in moderate oven (360° F.) 30-40 minutes and when cold frost with Marshmallow Frosting.

WHITE FRUIT CAKE

1 cup butter

1 cup mixed candied peel, shredded

2 cups sugar

4 cups sifted flour

1 cup candied cherries, halved

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup candied pineapple, shredded

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup blanched almonds, shredded

Grated rind 1 orange

1/2 cup orange juice

6 stiffly beaten egg whites

1 cup seedless raisins

Cream butter and sugar until very light, work in sifted dry ingredients alternately with grated orange rind and juice. Add fruits and nuts and mix thoroughly; fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Turn into a large greased loaf pan and bake in moderate oven (360° F.) about 1 hours.

RICH DARK FRUIT CAKE

1/2 pound sifted flour

1 pound almonds, blanched

2 1/2 pounds seeded raisins and halved

3/4 pound citron, finely shredded meats

1/2 pound walnut or pecan, coarsely broken

3/4 pound butter

1/2 teaspoons grated nutmeg

8 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon ground mace

3/4 pound sugar

1/2 pint grape juice

1/2 pound candied cherries, halved

1/2 cup molasses

Mix 1/2 cup of the flour with raisins and citron. Cream butter until light, gradually adding remaining flour. Beat egg yolks until thick, adding sugar gradually and combine with butter and flour mixture. Work in fruit, nuts and spices with or grape juice and molasses; fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. The batter should be moist but heavy in consistency. Turn into two loaf cake pans lined with several thicknesses of paper (greasing the innermost) and bake in a slow oven (300° F.) about three hours. Makes 7 pounds.

UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

1/2 cup butter

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups fruit fresh or stewed, dried or canned, drained

4 cups sifted flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Whipped cream, optional

Cream half the butter, gradually adding sugar. Combine egg with milk and vanilla and add alternately with sifted dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Meanwhile melt remaining butter in heavy frying pan, sprinkle brown sugar over bottom of pan and arranging fruit over this. Pour in batter.

EGGLESS, MILKLESS, BUTTERLESS

CAKE

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 cups water teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups seeded raisins

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup candied peel, cut small

2 cups sifted flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup shortening

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Boil together for three minutes sugar, water, fruit, shortening, spices and salt. Cool; add flour and baking powder sifted together and vanilla. Mix well and bake in well greased loaf pan in slow oven (330-360° F.) about one hour.

SCOTCH SHORTBREAD

1 1/2 cups sifted flour

3 cup butter

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

Blanched almonds

Sift flour and baking powder, work in butter, add sugar and knead; mix until thoroughly blended. Do not add any liquid, as this would entirely change the texture. Roll or pat out half an inch thick, cut into rounds with fluted cutter, place on flat baking sheet and press two or three almonds into each. Bake in slow oven (330-360° F.) about half an hour. If preferred, the mixture may be pressed into a baking pan dotted with almonds and after baking cut into squares or fingers.