In
the category of Random Interesting Food Stories I have for you today a short
piece from an Australian newspaper in 1934 concerning a cake with a rather
unusual filling. To give the context, ‘In Paramatta Gaol the most desperate
criminals are housed. They include “lifers” and long sentence men who would not
stop at murder to gain their liberty or pay off a grudge.’
SYDNEY, Saturday.
An
attempt to smuggle a revolver and a packet of cartridges, which had been
cunningly hidden in the middle of a high iced cake posted to a prisoner, has
been discovered by officials at Parramatta Gaol. A State-wide search is being
made for the responsible person. Officials are convinced that had the revolver been
smuggled into the prison either an organised attempt to escape would have been
made by men willing to take any risks, or a warder, recently threatened, would
have been shot. Every article of food received at the prison is tested to see if
it contains tools or weapons. In examining a cake the officials pierce it with
a thin steel wire, which causes no damage. In this case the wire struck
something hard, and when the cake was opened the weapon and ammunition were
found.
It
is believed by detectives that the smuggling is associated with a recent attempt
to stir up trouble in the gaol, following the appointment of a new warder. The
police state that a number of prisoners tried to bluff the warder into granting
many requests. These requests were refused, and six ringleaders, who had
planned to secure the support of 200 gaol inmates to create trouble, were taken
away at night and sent to various gaols.
News
(Adelaide SA) 22 December 1934
Well,
Thank Goodness for X-Ray equipment in such places nowadays, I say.
The
reporter of the above story completely omitted the very important information
on the exact type of cake involved. I feel sure that it would be a complete
research dead-end to attempt to find this out, so instead I have chosen a random
interesting recipe from another Australian newspaper of 1934.
THE
PERFECT ORANGE CAKE
With
Filling and Icing
One
of the most delightful and easy to-make of modern confections is orange cake.
It has an orangey sweet frosting, light tender layers, a fluffy creamy filling,
all delicately flavoured with orange. Here is the recipe for a cake large
enough to serve eight people:
Beat
together until thick two egg yolks, four tablespoonfuls of orange juice, the
grated rind of one orange, and half a tablespoonful of lemon juice. Gradually
add three-quarters of a cupful of sugar, beating with an egg-beater. Fold in
the whites of two eggs beaten until stiff. Then fold in lightly one cupful of
flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and quarter of a teaspoonful of salt
which have been sifted together four times. Put into a greased, deep round pan and
bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. Split and put the cream filling
between the layers and cover the top and sides with orange icing.
To
make orange cream filling, melt two tablespoonfuls of butter. Add four
tablespoonfuls of cornflour, the grated rind of one orange, one cupful of
orange juice, and one cupful of sugar. Bring to boiling point and stir
occasionally. Cook for 15 minutes over boiling water (in a double saucepan).
Add half a teaspoonful of lemon juice. Cool and fold in half a cupful of
whipped cream.
Orange
Icing: Boil one cupful of sugar and one-third of a cupful of 'water without
stirring until the syrup spins a thread when dropped from a spoon, Pour slowly
on to one egg white which has been beaten until stiff. Beat constantly with an
egg beater until the mixture holds its shape. Then gradually fold in one egg
yolk, half a teaspoonful of orange juice, and a little orange rind. Spread this
on the cake. In making the icing, add the egg yolk very slowly until the right
colour and consistency is obtained.
The Courier Mail
, 1 February 1934
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