angie

Cakes need a hot oven for the first half-hour.

If possible, they should not be moved from one shelf to another, but the
oven should be cooled gradually by opening the ventilators or lowering the
gas. A moderate oven is needed to finish the cooking.

All fruit cakes (unless weighing less than 1 lb.) need to be baked from
1-1/2 to 2 hours. The larger the cake the slower should be the baking.

The cake tins should be lined with greased paper.

If a gas oven is used, stand the cake tin on a sand tin (see Cold Water
Bread).

If the cake becomes sufficiently brown on top before it is cooked through,
cover with a greased paper to prevent burning.

To test if done, dip a clean knife into hot water. Thrust it gently down
the centre of cake. If done, the knife will come out clean and bright.