To eliminate the need for frosting and/or to have the cake ready to eat as soon as it is cool enough, some cakes can be made with a topping spread on the batter before baking. They are quick and easy to make and eliminate the necessity of frosting the cake after baking. Baked toppings are best on cakes baked in square or oblong pans. The following recipes will make enough topping to frost them. If you are making a cake in a large jelly roll pan, double the recipes.

BAKED CHOCOLATE - NUT TOPPING
1 cup grated semisweet or sweet chocolate
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Just before baking, sprinkle chocolate and nuts over batter in pan. Bake cake as directed.

BAKED COCONUT-NUT TOPPING
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup moist shredded coconut-nut
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter, adding sugar gradually until light and fluffy. Add coconut and nuts. Carefully spread over batter. Bake cake as directed.

BAKED MERINGUE-NUT TOPPING
2 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add brown sugar gradually. Continue to beat until well combined. Spread on cake batter. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake cake as directed.