September Cake

It's not handiwork. It's baking. But cooking and baking, I guess are both a craft in their own way. They're most certainly a form of science, that's for sure!

This is a recipe for a "September Cake". I've been facinated with this cake since I was small, and I always used to try and hit my Mum up to make it for me.

She won't though.

But she makes a mean jelly cake!

September Cake.

Ingredients:

• 5 ozs. SIMPSON'S SELF-RAISING FLOUR.
• 1/4 tsp salt.
• 1 tbsp cornflour (not wheaten).
• 1 tbsp arrowroot.
• 1 tsp cinnamon.
• 4 eggs.
• 3/4 cup castor sugar.
• 2 tbsp butter.
• 2 tbsp water.
• 2 tbsp orange juice.
• 1 tsp grated orange rind.
•  1/2 tsp Parisian essence.

Method:
Sift the flour, salt, cornflour, arrowroot and cinnamon together three times. Combine the butter, water, orange juice, orange rind and Parisian essence in a small saucepan and heat slowly until the butter is melted -- do not boil. Beat the eggs until thick and light-coloured; gradually add the sugar and continue the beating until the mixture is thick and fluffy. Remove beater and fold in the sifted dry ingredients, adding the liquids slowly. Mix until evenly blended. Bake in two greased and flour-dusted 8-inch layer pans in a moderate oven 375 degs. F. for about 25 minutes. Cool cakes. Slice to make 4 layers then sandwich together with a Creamy Butter Frosting. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the same frosting. Sprinkle with shredded or desiccated coconut. Decorate top edge of cake with slices of green angelica.

CREAMY BUTTER FROSTING
Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter. 
• 1/8 tsp salt. 
• 2 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar. 
• 1 egg white, unbeaten. 
• 4 to 5 tbsp cream. 
• 2 drops green colouring. 
• 1 tsp vanilla essence.

Method:
Cream the butter, add the salt. Add the sifted sugar, cream, and egg white alternately to the creamed butter. Blend well after each addition. Add the vanilla and green colouring. Beat until light and creamy.

Razzle Dazzle Doyley

This is currently something I'm working on. It's pretty fast and easy, but it can be a little fiddly when making the loops. To learn how to make the loops click here, and to join it into a circle click here (however, skip the first part about gathering the first side of loops - you don't need to do that for this pattern).

I'm currently making this in a fuchsia size 80 tatting cotton, and I'm using a British size 5 (1.4mm) steel hook with a short handle. It's pretty easy, and my first Hairpin piece. I have an Aero 3/4" hairpin lace loom (looks similar to the metal knitting needles), but you can get adjustable looms.

Breton Doyley

Requires white, No. 80 crochet cotton, a crochet hook suitable to work, and padding cord.

Does requiring having a padding cord make this a form of Irish crochet? Please let me know in the comments.

Semco Rose Filet Doyley

Please note:
21st Row. -- 1 h. on each h.
The Doyley is now worked off in sections to form scalloped edge as follows: -- Commence at tr. in line with second h. from rose. * 4 h, cramp 3 h. on next 2 h., 4 h., turn 1 h. on each h., end off, miss 10 h. of 21st. Row. Repeat from *.
EDGE -- 3 d.c. into each h., working 5 ch. after every second d.c. of every second h. to form a picot.

I am not sure if this is in American crocheting terms, or British. I am assuming British however, because Madame Weigel's Journal Of Fashion was an Australian publication (and we generally use British crocheting terms. Or at least, used to.) Please see the link here.