RICH DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE:

4 (1 oz. ea.) sq. chocolate, melted
1/2 cup milk (sweet or sour)
2 egg yolks
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 level tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup milk or coffee
2 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites

Melt chocolate in the milk in a double boiler (or glass bowl over a saucepan of water). Add egg yolks and stir until thick. Set aside to cool.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside until needed.

Cream butter and slow add sugar, beating as you add. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture and mix well. Add flour alternately with milk, containing the vanilla.

Lastly fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites, taking care to keep them as light and fluffy as possible. Pour into three 8-inch layer cake pans greased and lined with parchment paper.

Bake in moderate (350°F) oven for about 30 minutes. Cool layers and frost with Seven Minute Frosting.

GUMDROP CAKE:

2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, divided
1 lb. grumdrops, chopped fine (black ones removed)
3/4 cup raisins, cut fine
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, well-beaten

Take 1/2 cup of the sifted flour and mix with gumdrops and raisins, finely chopped. Set aside until needed. Measure and sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside until needed. Measure milk and add vanilla. Set aside.

Cream shortening well, add sugar gradually, creaming as you add. Beat in the well-beaten egg yolks. Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the liquid. Mix to smooth batter. Mix in the floured raisins and gumdrops.

Bake in a 4 1/2 x 10-inch loaf pan, greased and bottom lined with parchment paper. Bake in slow (275 to 300°F) oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Note: This cake keeps well.

OLD-FASHIONED ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR CAKE:

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
2 level tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside until needed (flour, baking powder and salt). Measure out milk and add flavoring. Separate eggs and beat yolks until very thick and lemon colored. Set all these aside until needed.

Cream shortening well. Add sugar, gradually, creaming as you add until mixture is rich and waxy. Add well-beaten egg yolks and beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with the liquid. Fold in the egg whites, stiffly beaten.

Bake in loaf cake pan, greased and lined with parchment paper, in moderate (350°F) oven for 1 hour. Frost or dust lightly with confectioners sugar,

POUND CAKE:

7/8 cup shortening*, softened
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs, well-beaten

Grease a loaf cake pan; line the bottom with parchment paper. Sift the dry ingredients together (sifted flour, baking powder and salt) and set aside for later use. Measure out the milk and add the vanilla; set these liquid ingredients aside.

Cream the softened shortening until it is very cream and puffy with air. Add confectioners' sugar gradually, creaming as you add. Add the well-beaten eggs and again beat the whole mixture thoroughly until it is very light. Then begin to add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the liquid, beating well after each addition of ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cake pan.

Bake in moderate (350°F) oven for about 1 hour or until well-baked through.

PLIMOTH PLANTATION GINGERBREAD:

2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 level tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup molasses
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients together twice (flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda, cocoa and salt). Set aside until needed.

Cream shortening well. Add sugar gradually, creaming as you add. Add molasses and cream well. Add eggs, well-beaten; then the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the liquid. Pour into well-greased, deep 9-inch square cake pan or a 10-inch square pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake in moderate (350°F) oven for 50 minutes or until done.

APRICOT CRUMBLE:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, well-beaten
5 cups corn flakes (uncrushed)
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup uncooked dried apricots, washed, cored and ground through food chopper
3 level tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter, add sugar gradually and beat well. Beat in eggs. Stir in corn flakes and fruit, then the flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Spread evenly in an 8-inch square baking pan, greased and lined with parchment paper.

Bake in moderate (350°F) oven about 30 minutes. Cut into squares. Serve warm or cold with cream.

COCOA BROWNIES:

2 eggs, well-beaten
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted shortening
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped nuts

To the well-beaten eggs add brown sugar and melted shortening. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to first mixture. Add cocoa, vanilla and chopped nuts.

Bake in greased 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper in moderate (350°F) oven for 30 minutes. As soon as baked, remove cake from pan and cut into brownies, each about 3x2-inches.

Makes 1 dozen brownies.

COCONUT MACAROONS:

1 egg white
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 level tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup shredded coconut

Beat egg white until stiff. Gradually beat in sugar, mixed with baking powder. Add salt and vanilla. Fold in coconut. Drop heaping spoonfuls on greased baking sheet.

Bake in slow (300°F) oven for about 20 minutes.

SPICE SQUARES:

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 level tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, well-beaten
1 cup cut dates
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup water

Measure and sift together dry ingredients (sifted flour, baking powder, salt and spices). Set aside until needed.

Cream shortening and add sugar gradually, beating well. Add well-beaten egg, dates, pitted and sliced, and chopped nuts. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with water.

Bake in a shallow pan greased and lined with parchment paper, in a moderate (350°F) oven for 30 minutes.

When cool cut into squares.

SQUASH DOUGHNUTS:

2 cups sifted bread flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup cooked squash, sieved
1 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 unbeaten eggs

Sift together dry ingredients (sifted flour, baking powder and salt). Set aside until needed.

Put the cooked squash through a strainer to be sure there are no lumps in it. Add melted butter and stir in sugar. Add sifted dry ingredients and beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Roll out on floured board to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut and fry in deep fat. Fry only a few doughnuts at a time and turn them just as soon as they rise to the top of the hot fat. Turn them also several times during the cooking, about 2 to 3 minutes at 365°F.

When cooked, remove from fat to paper towels and drain well.

To sugar doughnuts: Put 3 or 4 at a time in a large paper bag containing 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and shake well.

COFFEE CREAMS:

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 level tsp. baking powder
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs, well-beaten
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup strong coffee
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together dry ingredients (sifted flour, salt, spices and baking powder). Set aside until needed.

Cream shortening and gradually add sugar. Continue beating and stir in well-beaten eggs. Add nuts and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with coffee. Add vanilla and stir until smooth.

Bake in a shallow pan greased and lined with parchment paper, in a moderate (350°F) oven for 45 min minutes. Remove from pan.

Cool, frost with Caramel or Lemon Frosting and then cut into squares.