I have and used SCALP 4 all the time for design, but the easiest way I have found to do this is:
Type the text
Right click on the text, Select "Break Apart"
If you have a letter that has a center to it like A, O, B etc. Left click the center of the letter then hold "shift" click the rest of the letter then use the back minus front option on the "path" drop down menu on the top. Or go under the "effects" tab and select "knockout" then pull the knock out section and delete it.
Select all the text after you have all the "knockouts" done and hold "Alt" then "U" (or from the path menu select Union) which unions all the interior parts to the rest of the letter. Then right click and select "Group"
Now your text should cut like you are needing.
Hope this helps