ICING FOR CAKES.—­Since icing adds to the excess of sugar contained in cakes, it is preferable to use them without it except when especially desired for ornament.  An icing without eggs may be prepared by boiling a cup of granulated sugar in five tablespoonfuls of sweet milk for five minutes, then beating until cool enough to spread.  One with egg may be easily made of six tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, the white of one egg, and one teaspoonful of boiling water mixed without beating.  A colored icing may be made by using a teaspoonful of boiling cranberry juice or other red fruit juice instead of water.  The top of the icing may be ornamented with roasted almonds, bits of colored sugar or frosted fruits, directions for the preparation of all of which have already been given.

ORANGE CAKE.—­Prepare the cake as for Apple Cake, and bake in two layers.  For the filling, take two good-sized, juicy oranges.  Flavor two tablespoonfuls of sugar by rubbing it over the skin of the oranges, then peel, remove the white rind, and cut into small pieces, discarding the seeds and the central pith.  Put the orange pulp in a china bowl, and set in a dish of boiling water.  When it is hot, stir in a heaping teaspoonful of cornstarch which has been braided smooth in two spoonfuls of water.  Stir constantly until the starch has cooked, and the whole becomes thickened.  Beat the yolk of one egg to a cream with two tablespoonfuls of sugar.  Stir this very gradually, so as not to lump, into the orange mixture, and cook two or three minutes longer.  Remove from the fire, and when cool, spread between the cakes.  If the oranges are not very tart, a little lemon juice is an improvement.  Meringue the top of the cake with the white of the egg beaten up with the two tablespoonfuls of sugar flavored with orange.

FRUIT CAKE.—­Make a sponge of one pint of thin cream which has been scalded and cooled to lukewarm, one gill of liquid yeast or one half cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a gill of cream, one half cup of sugar, and two and one half cups of flour.  Beat all together very thoroughly and let rise until light.  When light, add another half cup of sugar, one half cup of rather thick cream which has been scalded and cooled, one cup of warm flour, and after beating well together, set away to rise again.  When well risen, add one cup of seeded raisins, one fourth cup of citron chopped fine, one half cup of Zante currants, two well-beaten eggs, and about one and one third cups of flour.  Turn into a brick loaf bread pan, let it rise until very light, and bake.  When done, remove from the pan and set away until at least twenty-four hours old before using.