A Culinary Puzzle

In our dainty little kitchen,     Where my aproned wife is queen     Over all the tin-pan people,     In a realm exceeding clean,     Oft I like to loiter, watching     While she mixes things for tea;     And she tasks me, slyly smiling,     Now just guess what this will be!     Hidden in a big blue apron,     Her dimpled arms laid bare,     And the love-smiles coyly mingling     With a housewifes frown of care     See her beat a golden batter,     Pausing but to ask of me,     As she adds a bit of butter,     Now just guess what this will be!     Then I bravely do my duty,     Guess it, pudding, cake or pie,     Dumplings, waffles, bread or muffins;     But no matter what I try,     This provoking witch just answers:     Never mind, just wait and see!     But I think you should be able,     Dear, to guess what this will be.     Little fraud! she never tells me     Until tis baked and browned     And I think I know the reason     For her secrecy profound     She herself with all her fine airs     And her books on cookery,     Could not answer, should I ask her,     Dearest, what will that mess be?