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Collection of Old British Cake Recipes

For gingerbread cakes and similar bakes, we have a separate collection available on our page,Old British Gingerbread Recipes.

Table of Contents

Things to keep in mind when baking old cake recipes

  • If in doubt, bake the cake at 180°C, 350°F, or Gas mark 4 to be on the safe side! Of course, if you can judge using your own experience, adjust the temperature accordingly. For example, heavy fruit cakes usually need a slower or lower temperature oven compared to lighter plain cakes.
  • Another thing to keep in mind when baking old cake recipes in modern ovens is that modern ovens tend to bake faster. Therefore, you may need to decrease the stated baking time, especially if you’re using a fan oven. So, when baking the cake, just keep an eye on it, as it may likely be ready sooner than stated. It’s all trial and experimentation with old recipes, which is half the fun!
  • Old cake recipes may have quite large quantities of ingredients, as many old books contained recipes originating from richer households who had many people to feed. Alternatively, the recipes were intended for working-class folk who may also have had a large family, and the bake would have fed the family throughout the week. If you do not want to bake such a large quantity, try halving the recipe ingredients.

For more useful directions, advice, and measurement conversions that will be handy while baking or cooking old recipes, do have a look at our helpful guide.

A HANDBOOK OF COOKERY FOR A SMALL HOUSE BY JESSIE CONRAD [1923]

Note. It is a golden rule worth remembering that all biscuits or rusks (also cakes) will keep perfectly crisp if kept in a closed tin. Cakes, of course, should not be placed under any cover till quite cold.

Swiss Roll

A good sponge powder is the very best and most reliable of all cake mixtures. Directions for use will be found on every packet and the only thing that to my mind improves it is the addition of a tablespoonful of cream after the beaten eggs are mixed to the cake-powder. Nothing could be easier than the following, and I have never had a failure:

Break two eggs into a large pudding basin, beat well with a fork, then stir the cake-powder into the eggs quite smoothly. Add the cream. Have ready the buttered tin, pour the mixture into it. Place in a quick oven and bake for about ten minutes. Turn on to a sheet of clean white paper which has been lightly dusted with a little powdered sugar. One packet of cake mixture and two eggs will make either one nice-sized Swiss Roll or a complete sponge sandwich.

It will often be much easier to make a successful cake or light pastry if the butter and lard are reduced to a cream before being added to the other ingredients. Put your proportion of butter and lard (half of each) into your pastry basin. Stir with the hand, one way only, till it has become the consistency of a thick cream. Mix the rest of the ingredients for your cake into it and moisten either with milk or water.

Cakes mixed by hand are much more satisfactory than those mixed with a spoon. One is also much more sure of success if the mixture is kept very stiff.

Simple Recipe for a Chocolate Cake

Take a quarter of a pound best white flour, a quarter of a pound butter, the same of sifted fine white sugar, two ounces of grated chocolate, and two eggs. Stir the butter in a pastry bowl with the hand, one way as directed, till the butter is reduced to a smooth cream. When this is done add the sugar (still stirring the one way). Have the two eggs well beaten in a cup, stir them into the sugar and flour, lastly the chocolate powder. Pour the mixture into a well-buttered cake tin and bake in a moderate oven for an hour.

Plain Christmas Cake

Take one pound flour (household, not self-raising), half a pound of currants which have been carefully washed and dried (this is best done in a cullender under the tap and rubbed dry on a clean white cloth), half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, two ounces of candied lemon peel cut into thin strips, two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, three eggs well beaten, whites and yolks together, and half a pint of milk, sour will do.

Place the flour in the pastry bowl, thoroughly mix the baking-powder into it, rub in the butter, add the sugar and currants and peel, stir in the eggs, and mix all together with the milk. Butter your cake tin and line it with a buttered sheet of white cooking paper, bake in a steady but gentle oven for one and a half hours.

Madeira Cake

Take a quarter of a pound of household flour, one teaspoonful of baking-powder, three ounces of butter, three ounces of fine white sugar, and two eggs. Cream the butter, add first the sugar, then the flour with the baking-powder, lastly the well-beaten eggs and half a teacupful of milk. Care should be taken that the mixture is not mixed too slack. Pour the mixture into a buttered cake tin and bake in a gentle oven from thirty to forty minutes.

Glengarry Cake

Half a pound of best household white flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, five ounces of butter, five ounces of powdered sugar, a quarter of a pound of sultanas carefully washed and stalked. Reduce the butter to cream in the bowl, add the sugar, flour, and baking-powder, then the sultanas, mix well with the two beaten eggs, adding a little milk if required. Place in a well-buttered cake tin, and bake in a steady oven one and a half hours.

Note. Carraway seeds can be used instead of sultanas if a seed cake is required and a little sliced candied peel always put on the top of the cake if desired.

Surrey Cake

Take three eggs, their weight in flour, powdered sugar, and butter, half a teaspoonful of essence of vanilla or almonds.

Reduce the butter to cream in the bowl, add the flour and sugar, keep stirring and beating the mixture without ceasing till it is quite smooth, add the eggs well beaten. Butter and paper a cake tin, which should never be more than half full of the cake. Bake in a steady oven from three-quarters of an hour to an hour.

Gâteau de Milan

Take half a pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, quarter of a pound of sugar, one whole egg, one yolk, a little salt, a grated rind of lemon, and a teaspoonful of rum. Place the flour on a pastry board; form it into a hillock with a hole in the centre; put into this the butter, sugar, and eggs, lemon rind, beaten egg, and rum.

Mix with the hand with butter and sugar, then the flour and eggs and make all into a ball. Roll it out to the thickness of little more than a quarter of an inch, form into little cakes with a cake cutter; arrange them on a baking-sheet of paper lightly buttered, brush them over lightly with the yolk of the egg; bake in a steady oven for about fifteen to twenty minutes.

These cakes will keep well for some days if kept in a closed tin.

The same cake mixture as for Gâteau de Milan may be treated in the following manner to make quite a different cake.

Instead of cutting the mixture into small cakes, make two rounds only of the same size and thickness. Place them on a buttered baking tin, but do not allow them to touch. From one of these pieces cut a round out of the centre with a small cake cutter. Bake them in a steady oven till they are a beautiful light brown colour; let them get cold. Upon the piece that is not cut in the centre spread a layer of smooth jam, place the other piece over it, trim the edges to have both exactly the same size; on this border spread some more jam, then sprinkle with a little sugar, not finely powdered but in grains. Arrange on a dish and fill the hole in the centre with a little fruit jelly.

Allied Cookery Arranged by Grace Clergue Harrison and Gertrude Clergue [1916]

QUEEN CAKES (English)

Melt 4 oz. of butter, then add 4 oz. of corn flour, 4 oz. flour, 6 oz. sugar, 3 eggs, 1/8 of a teaspoonful of lemon-juice, 1/8 of a teaspoonful of lemon extract, 1 small teaspoonful of baking powder. Beat well for 10 minutes and then bake in well-buttered patty pans in a warm oven.

CANADIAN WAR CAKE

Two cups brown sugar, 2 cups hot water, 2 tablespoons lard, 1 lb. raisins, cut once, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cloves.

Boil these ingredients 5 minutes after they begin to bubble. When cold add 1 teaspoon soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water, and 3 cups of flour.

Bake in 2 loaves, 45 minutes in a slow oven.

The Healthy Life Cook Book by Florence Daniel [Second Edition, 1915]

Cake Baking Advice

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.

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.

CAKE MIXTURE.

1/4 lb. butter, 1/4 lb. castor sugar, 6 ozs. flour, 2 eggs.

Half butter and half nutter gives just as good results and is more economical.

Beat together the butter and sugar to a cream. Whisk the eggs to a stiff froth and add. Stir in the flour gently. Mix well. Add a little milk if mixture is too stiff. This makes a Madeira Cake.

For other varieties, mix with the flour 1 dessertspoon caraway seeds for Seed Cake; 2 tablespoons desiccated cocoanut for Cocoanut Cake; 6 ozs. candied cherries chopped in halves for Cherry Cake; 6 ozs. sultanas and the grated rind of 1 lemon for Sultana Cake; the grated yellow part of 2 lemon rinds for Lemon Cake.

SMALL CAKES.

Take 2 small eggs and half quantities of the ingredients given for the cake mixture. Add the grated rind of half a lemon for flavouring. Grease a tin for small cakes with 9 depressions. Put a spoonful of the mixture in each depression. Bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven.

“CORN WINE AND OIL” CAKES. [dairy-free & egg-free]

1 lb. wholemeal flour, 3/4 lb. raisins, 4 tablespoons walnut oil, 1/4 pint water.

This recipe was especially concocted for non-users of milk and eggs. Stir the oil well into the flour. Add the washed and stoned raisins (or seedless raisins, or sultanas). Mix to a dough with the water. Divide dough into two portions. Roll out, form into rounds, and cut each round into 6 small scones. Bake in a hot oven for half an hour.

CURRANT SANDWICH.

8 ozs. butter, 1 lb. flour, 1/4 lb. cane sugar, currants.

Mix flour and sugar, and rub in the butter. Mix with water to plastic dough. Divide dough into two cakes, 1 inch in thickness. Cover one evenly with currants, lay the other on top, and roll out to the thickness of one-third of an inch. Cut into sections, and bake in a hot oven for about 30 minutes.

APPLE SANDWICH.

Make a short crust (see recipe below). Well grease some shallow jam sandwich tins. Roll out the paste very thin and line with it the tins. Peel, core, and finely chop some good, juicy apples. Spread well all over the paste. Sprinkle with castor sugar and grated lemon rind. Cover with another layer of thin paste. Bake for about 20 minutes in a hot oven. When done, take carefully out of the tin to cool. Cut into wedges, sprinkle with castor sugar, and pile on a plate.

SHORT CRUST. [for recipe above]

1/2 lb. flour, 3 ozs. nutter or butter.

Rub the nutter or butter lightly into the flour. Add enough cold water to make a fairly stiff paste. Roll it out to a 1/4 inch thickness. It is now ready for use.

SPONGE CAKE.

Take the weight of two eggs in castor sugar and flour.

For a richer cake take the weight of two eggs in sugar and the weight of one only in flour.

Well grease the cake-tin, and sprinkle with castor sugar until thoroughly covered, and shake out any that remains loose.

Well whisk the eggs with a coiled wire beater. They must be quite stiff when done. Add the sugar, a teaspoon at a time, while whisking. Or separate the yolks and whites, beating the yolks and sugar together and whisking the whites on a plate with a knife before adding to the yolks. Lastly, dredge in the flour. Stir lightly, but do not beat, or the eggs will go down. Pour mixture into tin, and bake about one hour in a moderate oven.

JAM SANDWICH.

Mix ingredients and prepare 2 jam sandwich tins as for Sponge Cake (see recipe above). Pour mixture in tins and bake for about 10 minutes in a hot oven. Take out, spread one round with warmed jam, place the other on top, and cut when cold.

LEMON SHORT CAKE.

1 lb. flour, 7 ozs. nutter, 1/4 lb. sugar, rind of 1 lemon.

Mix together nutter and sugar, add grated lemon rind, work in flour, and knead well. Press into sheets about 1/2 in. thick. Prick all over. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes.

An easy way of baking for the inexpert cook who may find it difficult to avoid breaking the sheets, is to well grease a shallow jam-sandwich tin, sprinkle it well with castor sugar, as for sponge cakes, and press the short cake into it, well smoothing the top with a knife, and, lastly, pricking it.

SUSSEX CAKE. [egg-free & dairy-free]

1 lb. flour, 6 ozs. nutter, 1/4 lb. sultanas, 1/4 lb. castor sugar, grated lemon rind.

This cake is included especially for the non-users of milk and eggs. Of course it does not turn out quite like the orthodox cake; some people might even call it “puddeny,” but it is not by any means unlike the substantial household cake if the directions are minutely followed and the baking well done.

But if any attempt is made to make it rich, disaster follows, and it becomes as heavy as the proverbial lead.

Made as follows, however, I am told it is quite common in some country places:—Beat the nutter and sugar to a cream. Upon the amount of air incorporated during this beating depends the lightness of the cake. Beat the flour into the creamed nutter. Now add enough water to make cake of a consistency to not quite drop off the spoon. Put the mixture into a greased hot qr. qtn. tin. Put in a very hot oven until nicely brown. This will take from 20 minutes to half an hour. Cover top with greased paper, and allow oven to get slightly cooler. The baking will take from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

MANHU HEALTH CAKE.

1/4 lb. butter, 1/2 lb. castor sugar, 1/2 lb. Manhu flour, 1 oz. rice flour, 6 ozs. crystallised ginger, 4 eggs.

Cream butter and sugar, adding eggs, two at once, not beaten. Beat each time after adding eggs, add rice flour, ginger, and lastly flour. Bake in moderate oven.

Victorian & Edwardian Cake Recipes from Dr Allinson’s Cookbook (1858-1918)

The following cake recipes are well over 150 years old, so do let us know if you bake them! Many old cake recipes do not state an oven temperature, as they were not baked using modern ovens with temperature controls. It would have been left to the cook’s experience to know when their oven was warm enough for certain cakes.

1. LUNCH CAKE

A good lunch cake may be made by rubbing 6 oz. of butter into 1-1/4 lbs. of Allinson wholemeal flour, 6 oz. of sugar. Beat up the yolks of 4 eggs with a teacupful of milk, and work into the flour so as to make a stiff batter. Add 2 oz. of mixed peel cut small, and 1/2 lb. of mixed sultanas. Lastly, add the beaten white of the eggs, whisk well, and pour the mixture into a greased cake tin. Bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

2. MADEIRA CAKE

1/2 lb. of fine wheatmeal, 1/2 lb. of castor sugar, 1/2 lb. of butter, 5 eggs, flavouring to taste. Beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar, then the eggs well beaten, the meal and the flavouring. Line a cake tin with buttered paper, and bake the cake in a moderate oven from 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

3. PLAIN CAKE

2-1/2 lbs. meal, 1 breakfastcupful sultanas, 1 oz. ground bitter almonds, 3 oz. chopped sweet almonds, 2 eggs, 3 oz. butter or 1/2 teacupful of oil, 6 oz. sugar and 1 teaspoonful cinnamon, 1/4 oz. yeast, milk to moisten the cake. Dissolve the yeast in a cup of warm water, 100 degrees Fahrenheit in winter, 85 degrees in summer; make a batter of the yeast and water, with two spoonfuls of the meal, and stand it on a cool place of the stove to rise; do not let it get hot, as this will spoil the yeast. Meanwhile prepare the fruit and almonds, mix the meal, fruit, butter (or oil), sugar, cinnamon and eggs; then add the yeast and as much lukewarm milk as is required to moisten the cake. The dough should be fairly firm and wet. Let the dough rise in front of the fire. Fill into greased cake tins and bake for 1-1/2 hours.

4. SPONGE CAKE

6 oz. fine wheatmeal, 1/2 lb. castor sugar, 4 eggs, any flavouring to taste. Beat up the eggs, sift in the sugar, then the flour, and bake the mixture in a well-greased cake tin in a moderate oven from 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

5. SPONGE CAKE ROLY-POLY

3 eggs, the weight of 2 in fine wheatmeal, of 8 in castor sugar, some raspberry and currant jam. Mix the ingredients as directed in “Sponge Cake,” line a large, square, flat baking tin with buttered paper, pour the mixture into it, and bake it in a fairly hot oven from 7 to 12 minutes, or until baked through. Have a sheet of white kitchen paper on the kitchen table, on which sprinkle some white sugar. Turn the cake out of the tin on to the paper, spread the cake with jam, and roll up. This should be done quickly, for if the cake is allowed to cool it will not roll.

6. VICTORIA SANDWICH

Proceed the same as in “Sponge Cake Roly-Poly,” but bake the mixture in 2 round, flat tins; spread jam on one, and cover with the other cake.

7. QUEEN’S SPONGE CAKE

1/4 lb. cornflour, 1/4 lb. wheatmeal, 1/2 lb. sifted sugar, 10 eggs, rind and juice of a lemon, some vanilla. Separate the yolks of the eggs from the whites; stir the yolks well, then sift in gradually, stirring all the time, the sugar and cornflour; add the lemon juice and rind; beat the whites of the eggs to a firm froth, mix it well with the rest; place the mixture in one or more greased cake tins and bake at once in a quick oven.

8. ROCK SEED CAKES

1 lb. of wholemeal, 4 oz. of sugar, 4 oz. of butter, 1 oz. of ground carraway seeds, about 3/4 of a cupful of milk, and 3 eggs. Rub the butter into the meal, add sugar, seeds, the eggs well beaten, and the milk. Place the mixture in lumps on floured tins, and bake the cakes for half an hour in a hot oven.

9. SEED CAKE

1/2 lb. fine wholemeal flour, 6 oz. butter, 6 oz. castor sugar, 2 eggs, 1/4 oz. carraway seeds. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs well beaten, and dredge in the flour, add a little cold water it too dry. Bake for 1/2 an hour.

10. ORANGE CAKES

6 oz. of Allinson wholemeal flour, 3 oz. butter, 4 oz. sugar, grate in the rind of 1 small orange, and mix all well together. Beat 1 egg, and stir in with the juice of the orange and sufficient buttermilk to make a smooth, thick batter. Half fill small greased tins with this mixture, and bake 15 minutes in a moderate oven.

11. SLY CAKES

1 lb. Allinson wholemeal flour, 8 oz. butter, 8 oz. currants, 2 oz. sugar, and 6 drops essence of lemon; mix the flour and sugar, and make it into a smooth paste with water, but do not make it very wet. Roll out 3 times, and spread in the butter as for pastry; roll it very thin, and cut into rounds or square cakes. Spread half of them very thickly with currants, press the others very gently on the top, so as to form a sandwich, and bake in a quick oven till a light brown.

12. WHOLEMEAL ROCK CAKES

1 lb. of meal, 3 oz. of butter or vege-butter, 1/4 lb. of sugar, a cupful of currants and sultanas mixed, 3 oz. of blanched almonds, chopped fine, 1 teaspoonful of cinnamon, or the grated rind of half a lemon, 3 eggs, and very little milk (about 3/4 of a teacup). Rub the butter into the meal, add the fruit, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon, beat up the eggs with the milk, and mix the whole to a stiff paste. Flour 1 or 2 flat tins, place little lumps of the paste on them, and bake the cakes in a quick oven 25 to 35 minutes. Particular care must be taken that the paste should not be too moist, as in that case the cakes would run. Vege-butter is a vegetable butter, made from the oil which is extracted from cocoanuts and clarified. It can be obtained from some of the larger stores, also from several depôts of food specialities. It is much cheaper than butter, and being very rich, goes further.

13. WHOLEMEAL CAKE

1 lb. of wholemeal, 4 oz. of sugar, 1 teaspoonful of cinnamon, 1 breakfastcupful of currants and sultanas mixed, well-washed and picked over, 3 oz. of chopped sweet almonds, 1 dozen ground bitter almonds, 3 eggs, 1/4 oz. of German yeast, 1/4 lb. Vegebutter, and some warm milk. Rub the butter into the meal, add the fruit, cinnamon, almonds and sugar, and the eggs well beaten. Dissolve the yeast in a cupful of warm milk (not hot milk) add it to the other ingredients, and make all into a moist dough, adding as much more milk as is required to make the dough sufficiently moist for the spoon to beat all together. Cover the pan in which you mix the cake with a cloth, place it in front of the fire, and allow the dough to rise 1-1/2 hours, turning the pan round occasionally that the dough may be equally warm. Then fill the dough into one or several well-greased tins, and bake the cake or cakes from 1 to 1-1/2 hours (according to the size) in a hot oven. If the cake browns too soon, cover it over with a sheet of paper.

14. WHOLEMEAL GEMS

Mix Allinson wholemeal flour with cold water into a batter, pouring this into greased and hot gem pans, and baking for 3/4 of an hour. All bread should be left for a day or two to set before it is eaten, otherwise it is apt to lie heavy on the stomach and cause a feeling of weight and uncomfortableness.

Victorian Cake recipes from MODERN COOKERY FOR PRIVATE FAMILIES (New Edition) by ELIZA ACTON [1882]

Modern Cake Mould.

GENERAL REMARKS ON CAKES.

Mould for Buns.

We have inserted here but a comparatively limited number of receipts for these “sweet poisons,” as they have been emphatically called, and we would willingly have diminished still further even the space which has been allotted to them, that we might have had room in their stead for others of a more really useful character; but we have felt reluctant to withdraw such a portion of any of the chapters as might materially alter the original character of the work, or cause dissatisfaction to any of our kind readers; we will therefore content ourselves with remarking, that more illness is caused by habitual indulgence in the richer and heavier kinds of cakes than would easily be credited by persons who have given no attention to the subject.

Amongst those which have the worst effects are almond, and plum pound cakes, as they are called; all varieties of the brioche; and such others as contain a large quantity of butter and eggs.

The least objectionable are simple buns, biscuits, yeast and sponge cakes, and meringues; these last being extremely light and delicate, and made of white of egg and sugar only, are really not unwholesome.

The ingredients for cakes, as well as for puddings, should all be fresh and good, as well as free from damp; the lightness of many kinds depends entirely on that given to the eggs by whisking, and by the manner in which the whole is mixed. A small portion of carbonate of soda, which will not be in the slightest degree perceptible to the taste after the cake is baked, if thrown in just before the mixture is put into the oven, will ensure its rising well.

To guard against the bitterness so often imparted by yeast when it is used for cakes or biscuits, it should be sparingly added, and the sponge should be left twice the usual time to rise. This method will be found to answer equally with bread. For example: should a couple of spoonsful of yeast be ordered in a receipt, when it is bitter, use but one, and let it stand two hours instead of half the time: the fermentation, though slow, will be quite as perfect as if it were more quickly effected, and the cake or loaf thus made will not become dry by any means as soon as if a larger portion of yeast were mixed with it.

The German yeast when fresh is preferable to any other for all light cakes, being made without hops and therefore never bitter.

All light cakes require a rather brisk oven to raise and set them; very large rich ones a well-sustained degree of heat sufficient to bake them through; and small sugar-cakes a slow oven, to prevent their taking a deep colour before they are half done: gingerbread, too, should be gently baked, unless it be of the light thick kind. Meringues, macaroons, and ratafias, will bear a slight degree more of heat than these.

For sponge and savoy cakes the moulds should be thickly and evenly buttered, and fine sugar shaken in them until they are equally covered with it: the loose sugar must be turned out before they are used.

To ascertain whether a cake be done, thrust a larding needle or bright skewer into the centre, and should this come out clean, draw it from the oven directly; but should the paste adhere to it, continue the baking. Several sheets of paper are placed usually under large plum-cakes.

Cakes are rendered heavy by moving or shaking them after they have risen in the oven, and before they have become firm. They should be gently loosened and turned from the moulds when sufficiently baked and set for a short time just at the mouth of the oven to dry the surface, then laid upon their sides on a sieve until cold.

TO BLANCH AND TO POUND ALMONDS.

Put them into a saucepan with plenty of cold water, and heat it slowly; when it is just scalding turn the almonds into a basin, peel, and throw them into cold water as they are done: dry them well in a soft cloth before they are used. If the water be too hot it will turn them yellow.

Almonds are more easily pounded, and less liable to become oily, if dried a little in a very gentle degree of heat after they are blanched; left, for example, in a warm room for two or three days, lightly spread on a large dish or tin. They should be sprinkled during the beating with a few drops of cold water, or white of egg, or lemon-juice, and pounded to a smooth paste: this is more easily done, we believe, when they are first roughly chopped, but we prefer to have them thrown at once into the mortar.

TO REDUCE ALMONDS TO A PASTE. (The quickest and easiest way.)

Chop them a little on a large and very clean trencher, then with a paste roller (rolling-pin), which ought to be thicker in the middle than at the ends, roll them well until no small bits are perceptible amongst them. We have found this method answer admirably; but as some of the oil is expressed from the almonds by it, and absorbed by the board, we would recommend a marble slab for them in preference, when it is at hand; and should they be intended for a sweet dish, that some pounded sugar should be strewed under them. When a board or strong trencher is used, it should be rather higher in the middle than at the sides.

TO COLOUR ALMONDS OR SUGAR-GRAINS, OR SUGAR-CANDY, FOR CAKES, OR PASTRY.

Blanch, dry, and chop them rather coarsely; pour a little prepared cochineal into the hands, and roll the almonds between them until they are equally coloured; then spread them on a sheet of paper, and place them in a very gentle degree of heat to dry. Use spinach-juice, to colour them green, and a strong infusion of saffron to give them a yellow tint.

They have a pretty effect when strewed over the icing of tarts or cakes, especially the rose-coloured ones, which should be rather pale. The sugar is prepared in the same way, after being first broken into lumps, and then, with the end of a paste-roller, into grains about the size of a pea; but unless it be dry and hard, and carefully done, it will absorb too much of the cochineal: when but slightly coloured it is very ornamental dropped on the borders of creamed tourtes, or on other varieties of fine pastry. White sugar-candy broken into large grains or crystals and coloured in the same manner has a yet better effect.

TO PREPARE BUTTER FOR RICH CAKES.

For all large and very rich cakes the usual directions are, to beat the butter to a cream; but we find that they are quite as light when it is cut small and gently melted with just so much heat as will dissolve it, and no more. If it be shaken round in a saucepan previously warmed, and held near the fire for a short time, it will soon be liquefied, which is all that is required: it must on no account be hot when it is added to the other ingredients, to which it must be poured in small portions after they are all mixed.

To cream it, drain the water well from it after it is cut, soften it a little before the fire should it be very hard, and then with the back of a large strong wooden spoon beat it until it resembles thick cream. When prepared thus, the sugar is added to it first, and then the other ingredients in succession. For plum-cakes it is better creamed than liquefied, as the fruit requires a paste of some consistence to prevent its sinking to the bottom of the mould in which it is baked. For plain seed-cakes the more simple plan answers perfectly.

TO WHISK EGGS FOR LIGHT RICH CAKES.

Break them one by one, and separate the yolks from the whites: this is done easily by pouring the yolk from one half of the shell to the other, and letting the white drop from it into a basin beneath. With a small three-pronged fork take out the specks from each egg as it is broken, that none may accidentally escape notice. Whisk the yolks until they appear light, and the whites until they are a quite solid froth; while any liquid remains at the bottom of the bowl they are not sufficiently beaten: when a portion of them, taken up with the whisk, and dropped from it, remains standing in points, they are in the proper state for use, and should be mixed with the cake directly.

SUGAR GLAZINGS AND ICINGS. (For Fine Pastry and Cakes.)

The clear glaze which resembles barley sugar, and which requires to be as carefully guarded from damp, is given by just dipping the surface of the pastry into liquid caramel [see recipes below]; or by sifting sugar thickly over it directly it is drawn from the oven, and melting it down with a salamander, or red-hot shovel held closely over it; or by setting it again into an oven sufficiently heated to dissolve the sugar: though this latter method is not so well, as there is danger from it of the paste being scorched.

To make a fine white or coloured icing, whisk, as directed above, the whites of four fresh eggs to a perfectly solid froth, then, with a wooden spoon or spatula, mix gradually with them one pound of the best sugar, which has been dried, and sifted through a fine sieve: work them together for a minute or two, and add less than a dessertspoonful of strained lemon-juice; spread it even over the cake or pastry, and dry it very gently indeed, either in a quite cool oven, or in a meat screen placed before the fire. From the difference in the size of eggs, a little more or less of sugar may be required for this icing. It may be coloured with a very few drops of prepared cochineal to give it a rose tint.

Whites of eggs beaten to snow, 4; sugar, 1 lb.; lemon-juice, small dessertspoonful.

TO BOIL SUGAR FROM SYRUP TO CANDY, OR TO CARAMEL.

The technicalities by which confectioners distinguish the different degrees of sugar-boiling, seem to us calculated rather to puzzle than to assist the reader; and we shall, therefore, confine ourselves to such plain English terms as may suffice, we hope, to explain them. After having boiled a certain time, the length of which will in a measure depend upon the quality of the sugar as well as on the quantity of water added, it becomes a thin syrup, and will scarcely form a short thread if a drop be pressed between the thumb and finger and they are then drawn apart; from five to ten minutes more of rapid boiling will bring it to a thick syrup, and when this degree is reached the thread may be drawn from one hand to the other at some length without breaking; but its appearance in dropping from the skimmer will perhaps best denote its being at this point, as it hangs in a sort of string as it falls.

After this the sugar will soon begin to whiten, and to form large bubbles in the pan, when, if it be intended for barley-sugar, or caramel, some lemon-juice or other acid must be added to it, to prevent its graining or becoming sugar again; but if wanted to candy, it must be stirred without ceasing until it rises almost to the top of the pan, in one large white mass, when it must be used immediately or laded out into paper cases or on to dishes, with the utmost expedition, as it passes in an instant almost, from this state to one in which it forms a sort of powder, which will render it necessary to add water, to stir it until dissolved, and to reboil it to the proper point. For barley-sugar likewise it must be constantly stirred, and carefully watched after the lemon-juice is added.

A small quantity should be dropped from time to time into a large basin of cold water by those who are inexperienced in the process; when in falling into this it makes a bubbling noise, and if taken out immediately after, it snaps clean between the teeth without sticking to them, it must be poured out instantly: if wanted for sugar-spinning, the pan must be plunged as quickly as possible into a vessel of cold water.

CARAMEL. (The quickest way.)

Put into a brass skillet, or preserving-pan, some sifted sugar of the finest quality, and stir it softly with a wooden spoon or spatula, over a very gentle fire until it has become liquid; a pale or a deep tint may then be given to it, according to the purpose for which it is required: so soon as it is entirely melted, and looks clear, it is ready for use. Pastry-cooks glaze small pastry by just dipping the surface into it; and they use it also for nougat, and other confectionary, though it is not in general quite so brilliant as that which is made by the preceding receipt. When the sugar first begins to melt, it should be stirred only just in that part, or it will not be equally coloured.

FINE ALMOND CAKE.

Blanch, dry, and pound to the finest possible paste, eight ounces of fresh Jordan almonds, and one ounce of bitter; moisten them with a few drops of cold water or white of egg, to prevent their oiling; then mix with them very gradually twelve fresh eggs which have been whisked until they are exceedingly light; throw in by degrees one pound of fine, dry, sifted sugar, and keep the mixture light by constant beating, with a large wooden spoon, as the separate ingredients are added. Mix in by degrees three-quarters of a pound of dried and sifted flour of the best quality; then pour gently from the sediment a pound of butter which has been just melted, but not allowed to become hot, and beat it very gradually, but very thoroughly, into the cake, letting one portion entirely disappear before another is thrown in; add the rasped or finely-grated rinds of two sound fresh lemons, fill a thickly-buttered mould rather more than half full with the mixture, and bake the cake from an hour and a half to two hours in a well-heated oven. Lay paper over the top when it is sufficiently coloured, and guard carefully against its being burned.

546Jordan almonds, 1/2 lb.; bitter almonds, 1 oz.; eggs, 12; sugar, 1 lb.; flour, 3/4 lb.; butter, 1 lb.; rinds lemons, 2: 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Obs.—Three-quarters of a pound of almonds may be mixed with this cake when so large a portion of them is liked, but an additional ounce or two of sugar, and one egg or more, will then be required.

PLAIN POUND OR CURRANT CAKE. (Or rich Brawn Brack, or Borrow Brack.)

Mix, as directed in the foregoing receipt, ten eggs (some cooks take a pound in weight of these), one pound of sugar, one of flour, and as much of butter. For a plum-cake, let the butter be worked to a cream; add the sugar to it first, then the yolks of the eggs, next stir lightly in the whites, after which, add one pound of currants and the candied peel, and, last of all, the flour by degrees, and a glass of brandy when it is liked. Nearly or quite two hours’ baking will be required for this, and one hour for half the quantity.

To convert the above into the popular Irish “speckled bread,” or Brawn Brack of the richer kind, add to it three ounces of carraway-seeds: these are sometimes used in combination with the currants, but more commonly without.

To ice a cake see the receipt for Sugar Glazings [recipe below]. A rose-tint may be given to the icing with a little prepared cochineal, as we have said there.

QUEEN CAKES.

To make these, proceed exactly as for the pound currant-cake [recipe above] but bake the mixture in small well-buttered tin pans (heart-shaped ones are usual), in a somewhat brisk oven, for about twenty minutes.

SUGAR GLAZINGS AND ICINGS. (For Fine Pastry and Cakes.)

The clear glaze which resembles barley sugar, and which requires to be as carefully guarded from damp, is given by just dipping the surface of the pastry into liquid caramel (scroll up for caramel recipes); or by sifting sugar thickly over it directly it is drawn from the oven, and melting it down with a salamander, or red-hot shovel held closely over it; or by setting it again into an oven sufficiently heated to dissolve the sugar: though this latter method is not so well, as there is danger from it of the paste being scorched.

To make a fine white or coloured icing, whisk, as directed above, the whites of four fresh eggs to a perfectly solid froth, then, with a wooden spoon or spatula, mix gradually with them one pound of the best sugar, which has been dried, and sifted through a fine sieve: work them together for a minute or two, and add less than a dessertspoonful of strained lemon-juice; spread it even over the cake or pastry, and dry it very gently indeed, either in a quite cool oven, or in a meat screen placed before the fire. From the difference in the size of eggs, a little more or less of sugar may be required for this icing. It may be coloured with a very few drops of prepared cochineal to give it a rose tint.

Whites of eggs beaten to snow, 4; sugar, 1 lb.; lemon-juice, small dessertspoonful.

RICE CAKE.

Take six eggs, with their weight in fine sugar, and in butter also, and half their weight of flour of rice, and half of wheaten flour; make the cake as directed for the Madeira or almond cake, but throw in the rice after the flour; then add the butter in the usual way, and bake the cake about an hour and ten minutes. Give any flavour that is liked. The butter may be altogether omitted. This is a moderate-sized cake.

Eggs, in the shell, 6; their weight in butter and in sugar; half as much flour of rice, and the same of wheaten flour: 1 hour, 10 minutes.

WHITE CAKE.

Beat half a pound of fresh butter to a cream, add to it an equal weight of dried and sifted sugar, the yolks and whites of eight eggs, separately whisked, two ounces of candied orange-peel, half a teaspoonful of mace, a glass of brandy, one pound of flour strewed in by degrees, and last of all a pound and a quarter of currants. Directly it is mixed send the cake to a well-heated oven, and bake it for two hours. Four ounces of pounded almonds are sometimes added to it.

547Butter, 1/2 lb.; sugar, 1/2 lb.; eggs, 8; mace, 1/2 teaspoonful; brandy, 1 wineglassful; flour, 1 lb.; candied-peel, 2 oz.; currants, 1-1/2 lb.: 2 hours.

A GOOD SPONGE CAKE.

Rasp on some lumps of well-refined sugar the rind of a fine sound lemon, and scrape off the part which has imbibed the essence, or crush the lumps to powder, and add them to as much more as will make up the weight of eight or ten fresh eggs in the shell; break these one by one, and separate the whites from the yolks; beat the latter in a large bowl for ten minutes, then strew in the sugar gradually, and beat them well together. In the mean time let the whites be whisked to a quite solid froth, add them to the yolks, and when they are well blended sift and stir the flour gently to them, but do not beat it into the mixture; pour the cake into a well-buttered mould, and bake it an hour and a quarter in a moderate oven.

Rasped rind, 1 large lemon; fresh eggs, 8 or 10; their weight of dry, sifted sugar; and half their weight of flour: baked, 1-1/4 hour, moderate oven.

A SMALLER SPONGE CAKE. (Very good.)

Five full-sized eggs, the weight of four in sugar, and of nearly three in flour, will make an exceedingly good cake: it may be flavoured, like the preceding one, with lemon-rind, or with bitter almonds, vanilla, or confected orange-blossoms reduced to powder. An hour will bake it thoroughly. All the ingredients for sponge cakes should be of good quality, and the sugar and flour should be dry; they should also be passed through a fine sieve kept expressly for such purposes. The excellence of the whole depends much on the manner in which the eggs are whisked: this should be done as lightly as possible, but it is a mistake to suppose that they cannot be too long beaten, as after they are brought to a state of perfect firmness they are injured by a continuation of the whisking, and will at times curdle, and render a cake heavy from this cause.

A GOOD MADEIRA CAKE.

Whisk four fresh eggs until they are as light as possible, then, continuing still to whisk them, throw in by slow degrees the following ingredients in the order in which they are written: six ounces of dry, pounded, and sifted sugar; six of flour, also dried and sifted; four ounces of butter just dissolved, but not heated; the rind of a fresh lemon; and the instant before the cake is moulded, beat well in the third of a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda: bake it an hour in a moderate oven. In this, as in all compositions of the same nature, observe particularly that each portion of butter must be beaten into the mixture until no appearance of it remains before the next is added; and if this be done, and the preparation be kept light by constant and light whisking, the cake will be as good, if not better, than if the butter were creamed. Candied citron can be added to the paste, but it is not needed.

Eggs, 4; sugar, 6 oz.; flour, 6 oz.; butter, 4 oz.; rind of 1 lemon; carbonate of soda, 1/3 of teaspoonful: 1 hour, moderate oven.

A SOLIMEMNE. A rich French breakfast cake, or Sally Lunn.

From three-quarters of a pound of flour take three ounces for the leaven, and make it into a lithe paste with half an ounce of solid, well-washed yeast [see directions below], mixed with two or three tablespoonsful of just warm cream, or new milk; throw a cloth over and leave it near the fire to rise for about half an hour, or until it is twice its original size. In the interim make a hollow in the centre of the remainder of the flour, and put into it a quarter of an ounce of fine salt, one ounce of pounded sugar, the yolks of four fresh eggs, four ounces of lukewarm butter, and a couple of tablespoonsful of cream, also warm. Mix the whole gently and carefully into a perfectly smooth paste, flatten it with the hand upon the dresser, spread the leaven over it, and blend them thoroughly with light kneading, as directed for brioche paste. The whole should be of the same colour throughout.

Next, put it into a small, well-buttered copper stewpan, or plain cake-mould, and let it remain in a moderately warm place until it has risen, like the leaven, to double its original size; then with a paste-brush or feather wash the top with beaten egg, and without disturbing it, set it into a tolerably quick oven, and bake it nearly or quite an hour; but do not allow it to be too deeply coloured.

Turn it from the mould, cut it once or twice asunder, and pour over the slices plenty of good butter, just dissolved in a small saucepan; put the cake together again, and serve it immediately. It may be converted into an excellent entremets by spreading currant, or other fine jelly, or preserve, quickly upon it when it is cut, and sifting sugar thickly on the top after it is restored to its proper form: it is then called a Dresden cake.

We think that when left until cold and toasted, the solimemne is even better than when served hot. It will be many hours rising; sometimes as many as six or eight. If wanted for breakfast it should be made over night.

Flour 3/4 lb.; yeast, 1/2 oz.; little cream; salt, 1/4 oz.; sugar, 1 oz.; yolks of eggs, 4; butter, 4 oz.: to rise from 6 to 8 hours. Baked 1 hour.

TO PURIFY YEAST FOR BREAD OR CAKES.

The yeast procured from a public brewery is often so extremely bitter that it can only be rendered fit for use by frequent washings, and after these even it should be cautiously employed. Mix it, when first brought in, with a large quantity of cold water, and set it by until the following morning in a cool place; then drain off the water, and stir the yeast up well with as much more of fresh: it must again stand several hours before the water can be poured clear from it.

By changing this daily in winter, and both night and morning in very hot weather, the yeast may be preserved fit for use much longer than it would otherwise be; and should it ferment rather less freely after a time, a small portion of brown sugar and a little warm milk or other liquid, stirred to it a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes before it is required for bread-making, will restore its strength.

The German yeast, of which we have spoken in detail in another part of this chapter, makes exceedingly light bread and buns, and is never bitter; it is therefore a valuable substitute for our own beer-yeast, but cannot be procured in all parts of the country, for the reasons which we have stated.

BANBURY CAKES.

First, mix well together a pound of currants, cleaned with great nicety and dried, a quarter-pound of beef suet, finely minced, three ounces each of candied orange and lemon-rind, shred small, a few grains of salt, a full quarter-ounce of pounded cinnamon and nutmeg mixed, and four ounces of macaroons or ratafias rolled to powder.

Next, make a light paste with fourteen ounces of butter to the pound of flour; give it an extra turn or two to prevent its rising too much in the oven; roll out one half in a very thin square, and spread the mixed fruit and spice equally upon it; moisten the edges, lay on the remaining half of the paste, rolled equally thin, press the edges securely together, mark the whole with the back of a knife in regular divisions of two inches wide and three in length, bake the pastry in a well-heated oven from twenty-five to thirty minutes, and divide it into cakes while it is still warm. They may be served as a second course dish either hot or cold, and may be glazed at pleasure.

Currants, 1 lb.; beef-suet, 4 oz.; candied orange and lemon-rind each, 3 oz.; salt, small pinch; mixed spices, 1/4 oz.; macaroons or ratafias, 4 oz.: baked 25 to 30 minutes.

A DELICIOUS CREAM-CAKE AND SWEET RUSKS.

When in very sultry weather cream becomes acid from being sent to a distance, or from other causes, it may still be made available for delicate pastry-crust, and superlative cakes, biscuits, and bread; but if ever so slightly putrid it will be fit only to be thrown away. The following receipt is given exactly as it was used with perfect success on the thought of the moment, when we first had it tried.

Crumble down five ounces of good butter into a pound of fine flour, then mix thoroughly with them half a pound of sifted sugar, a few grains of salt, and two ounces of candied citron or orange-rind sliced thin; add something more than half a pint of thick and rather sour cream mixed with two well whisked eggs, and just before the paste is put into the moulds, which should be buttered in every part and only two-thirds filled, beat thoroughly into it half a teaspoonful of the very best carbonate of soda, which has been perfectly blended with twice the quantity of sugar and of flour, and rubbed through a fine sieve, or worked to the smoothest powder in a mortar, or in any other way.

For the convenience of having it baked in a small iron oven, this quantity was divided into two cakes, one of which was gently pulled apart with a couple of forks while still hot, and then set again into the oven and crisped with a gentle heat quite through: it was thus converted into the very nicest sweet rusks. Sufficient cream should be used for the cakes to convert the ingredients into a very lithe paste or thick batter, which can be properly worked or mixed with a wooden spoon, with the back of which it should be very lightly beaten up before it is moulded. About three-quarters of an hour will bake it in a moderate oven. It should be firm on the surface—as all light cakes should be—that it may not sink and become heavy after it is drawn out. Turn it from the mould, and lay it on its side upon a sieve reversed, to cool.

A GOOD LIGHT LUNCHEON-CAKE AND BROWN BRACK.

Break down four ounces of butter into a couple of pounds of flour, and work it quite into crumbs, but handle it very lightly; mix in a pinch of salt and four ounces of pounded sugar; hollow the centre, and stir into it a large tablespoonful of solid well-washed yeast (or an ounce of German yeast which will ferment more quickly), diluted with three-quarters of a pint of warm new milk; when sufficient of the surrounding flour is mixed with it to form a thick batter strew more flour on the top, lay a cloth once or twice folded together over the pan, and let it remain until the leaven has become very light: this it will generally be in an hour and a quarter, or, at the utmost, in an hour and a half.

The fermentation may be quickened by increasing the proportion of yeast, but this is better avoided, as it may chance to render the cake bitter; additional time, however, must always be allowed for it to rise when but a small quantity is used. When the leaven is at the proper height, add to a couple of well whisked eggs, sufficient nearly-boiling milk to warm them, and mix them with the other ingredients; then beat well into the cake by degrees, eight ounces more of pounded sugar, and half a grated nutmeg; cut from two to three ounces of candied citron thin, and strew over it; leave it again to rise, as before, for about three-quarters of an hour; mix the citron equally with it, put it into a thickly buttered tin or earthen pan, and bake it in a quick oven for an hour and ten minutes at the least, and after it is placed in it let it not be moved until it is quite set, or it will possibly be heavy at the top.

The grated rinds of a couple of lemons will improve its flavour. Fine Lisbon sugar can be used to sweeten it instead of pounded, but the difference of expense would be very slight, and the cake would not be so good; the quantity can, of course, be diminished when it is considered too much.

Three-quarters of a pound of currants can, at choice, be substituted for the citron. Three ounces of carraway seeds will convert it into common brown brack, or Irish seed-cake.

A VERY CHEAP LUNCHEON BISCUIT, OR NURSERY CAKE.

Two or three pounds of white bread dough taken when ready for the oven, will make a good light biscuit if well managed, with the addition of from half to three-quarters of a pound of sugar, a very small quantity of butter, and a few currants, or carraway-seeds, or a teaspoonful of mixed spices. The dough should be rather firm; the butter should first be well kneaded into it in small portions, then the sugar added in the same way, and next the currants or spice. The whole should be perfectly and equally mingled, flour being slightly dredged upon it as it is worked, if needful. It must then be allowed to rise until it is very light, when it should again be kneaded down, but not heavily; and when it has once more risen, it should be sent without delay to the oven. An ounce of butter to the pound of dough will be sufficient for it. Much richer cakes can be made thus, and they will be extremely good if care be taken to let them rise 556sufficiently before they are baked. We regret that we cannot multiply our receipts for them. Sultana raisins are an excellent substitute for currants in these and other common cakes.

ISLE OF WIGHT DOUGH-NUTS.

Work smoothly together with the fingers four ounces of good lard, and four pounds of flour; add half a pound of fine brown sugar, two tablespoonsful of allspice, one drachm of pounded cinnamon, half as much of cloves, two large blades of mace, beaten to powder, two tablespoonsful of fresh yeast which has been watered for one night, and which should be solid, and as much new milk as will make the whole into a rather firm dough; let this stand from an hour to an hour and a half near the fire, then knead it well, and make it into balls about the size of a small apple; hollow them with the thumb, and enclose a few currants in the middle; gather the paste well over them, and throw the dough-nuts into a saucepan half filled with boiling lard; when they are equally coloured to a fine brown, lift them out and dry them before the fire on the back of a sieve.

When they are made in large quantities, as they are at certain seasons in the island, they are drained upon very clean straw. The lard should boil only just before they are dropped into it, or the outsides will be scorched before the insides are sufficiently done.

Flour, 4 lbs.; lard, 4 oz.; sugar, 1/2 lb.; allspice, 2 tablespoonsful; pounded cinnamon, 1 drachm; cloves and mace, each 1/2 drachm; yeast (solid), two large tablespoonsful: to rise, 1 to 1-1/2 hour. Currants, at choice: dough-nuts boiled in lard, 5 to 7 minutes.

A GOOD SODA CAKE.

Break down half a pound[175] of fresh butter into a pound of fine dry flour, and work it into very small crumbs; mix well with these half a pound of sifted sugar, and pour to them first, a quarter of a pint of boiling milk, and next, three well-whisked eggs; add some grated nutmeg, or fresh lemon-rind, and eight ounces of currants, cleaned and dried; beat the whole well and lightly together, then strew in a very small teaspoonful of good carbonate of soda in the finest powder, which has been rubbed through a sieve and well mixed with a little sugar, and again beat the cake well and lightly for three or four minutes; put it into a buttered mould, and bake it from an hour to an hour and a quarter; or divide it in two, when three-quarters of an hour will be sufficient for each part.

175.  Six ounces would to many tastes be quite sufficient, and the less butter the cake contains the better.

Flour, 1 lb.; butter, 1/2 lb.; sugar, 1/2 lb.; boiling milk, full 1/4 pint; eggs, 3; currants, 1/2 lb.; good carbonate of soda, 1 very small teaspoonful: 1 to 1-1/2 hour. Or: divided in two, 1/2 to 3/4 hour.

Obs.—This, if carefully made, resembles a pound cake, but is much less expensive, and far more wholesome, while it has the advantage of being very expeditiously prepared. Great care, however, must be taken to avoid mixing with it too large a proportion, or a coarse quality of soda; as either will impart to it a far from agreeable flavour.

A GALETTE.

The galette is a favourite cake in France, and may be made rich and comparatively delicate, or quite common, by using more or less butter for it, and by augmenting or diminishing the size. Work lightly three-quarters of a pound of good butter into a pound of flour, add a large saltspoonful of salt, and make these into a paste with the yolks of a couple of eggs mixed with a small cupful of good cream, or simply with water; roll this into a complete round, three-quarters of an inch thick; score it in small diamonds, brush yolk of egg over the top, and bake the galette for about half an hour in a tolerably quick oven: it is usually eaten hot, but is served cold also. An ounce of sifted sugar is sometimes added to it.

A good galette: flour, 1 lb.; butter, 3/4 lb.; salt, 1 saltspoonful; yolks of eggs, 2; cream, small cupful: baked 1/2 hour. Common galette: flour, 2 lbs.; butter, 3/4 to 1 lb.; no eggs.

SMALL SUGAR CAKES OF VARIOUS KINDS.

To make very sweet rich sugar cakes mingle, first working it very small with the fingers, half a pound of butter with each pound of flour: if more than this proportion be used the paste will be too soft to permit the addition of the proper number of eggs. Next, blend thoroughly with these three-quarters of a pound of dry sifted sugar, and the grated rinds of two small fresh lemons (for lemon-cakes the strained juice of one is generally added), or a dessertspoonful of cinnamon freshly pounded; or from one ounce to two ounces of carraway-seeds; or a similar proportion of the finest powdered ginger; or three-quarters of a pound of very dry well cleaned currants.

A slight pinch of salt should be thrown in with the sugar. If to be made into flat cakes proceed to moisten these ingredients gradually with from two eggs to four slightly whisked, and when they form a firm paste, proceed quickly to roll and to stamp them out with a cake tin; for as the sugar dissolves with the moisture of the eggs, the paste will otherwise become so lithe as to adhere to the board and roller. When it is to be merely dropped on the baking-sheets, it will require an additional egg or more. The cakes should then be placed quite two inches apart, as they will spread in the baking.

Five ounces of butter with six of sugar to the pound of flour, two large eggs, and a small quantity of milk, will be sufficient for quite cheap sugar cakes: any flavour can be given to them as to those which precede, and they can be rendered more or less sweet to the taste by altering the proportion of sugar: this should always be sifted, or at least reduced quite to powder, before it is used for them. One ounce more of butter will render them very good. They should be rolled a quarter of an inch thick.

Rich: to each lb. of flour, butter, 1/2 lb.; sugar, 3/4 lb.; eggs, 2 to 4. (Lemon-rinds, cinnamon, carraway-seeds, or ginger, or currants at choice), small pinch of salt. Slow oven about 20 minutes.

Obs.—The cakes should be but lightly coloured, and yet baked quite through.

LIGHT BUNS OF DIFFERENT KINDS.

Quite plain buns without butter.—Very good light buns may be made entirely without butter, but they must be tolerably fresh when served. To make them, dilute very smoothly an ounce of sweet German yeast or a large tablespoonful of quite solid and well washed English yeast with a pint of warm new milk; mix this immediately with as much flour as it will convert into a rather thick batter, throw a double cloth over the pan, and place it where the warmth of the fire will search, without heating it.

When it is well risen and bubbles appear on the top, add a little salt, some pounded sugar, and as much flour as will form it into a light dough. Leave it to rise again, when it will probably be too little firm for moulding with the fingers, and must be beaten up with a strong wooden spoon and put into cups or tin pans slightly buttered, to be baked. The buns should be sent to a quick oven, and baked until the entire surface is well browned.

These directions may appear to the reader somewhat vague; but we must frankly state that we have no precise memorandum by us of this receipt, though we have had buns made by it very successfully in former years: we cannot, however, exactly recall the proportion of flour which was used for them, but believe it was about two pounds. For this quantity half a pound of sugar would be sufficient. The batter will be a long time rising to the proper height; an hour and a half or two hours. Currants, carraways, nutmeg, or mixed spices, can always be added at discretion.

It is usual to strew a few currants on the tops of the buns before they are baked.

To render them richer and firmer, it is merely necessary to diminish the proportion of milk, and to crumble up very small two or more ounces of butter in the flour which is added to the batter after it has risen. When again quite light, the dough may then be rolled into balls, and placed on flat tins some inches apart until they have spread to the proper shape. Confectioners generally wash the tops with milk, and sift a little sugar over them.

Exeter Buns [part of the recipe above]

These are somewhat celebrated in the city whose name they bear, especially those of one maker whose secret for them we have recently obtained. Instead of being made into a dough with milk, Devonshire cream is used for them, either entirely or in part. If very thick, a portion of water should be added to it, or the yeast would not ferment freely. The better plan is to dilute it with a quarter of a pint or rather more of warm water, and when it is sufficiently risen to make up the buns lightly, like bread, with the cream, which must also be warm; then to proceed by the receipt given above.

EXCELLENT SODA BUNS.

Work into half a pound of flour three ounces of butter, until it is quite in crumbs; mix thoroughly with them four ounces of sugar, the slightest pinch of salt, an ounce, or rather more, of candied orange or, shred extremely small, and a little grated nutmeg; to these pour boiling a small teacupful of cream, or of milk when this cannot be had; mix them a little, and add immediately two eggs, leaving out the white of one, and when the whole is well mingled, dust over, and beat well into it, less than half a teaspoonful of good carbonate of soda, perfectly free from lumps; rub an oven-tin with butter, drop the buns upon it with a spoon, and send them to a moderate oven.

When they are firm to the touch in every part, and well coloured underneath, they are done. They resemble good cakes, if properly made, although in reality they are not rich: to render them so the proportion of sugar and of butter can be increased, and currants added also. It is immaterial, we find, whether they be put into the oven as soon as they are mixed, or an hour afterwards. They are equally light. These proportions make just a dozen of small buns.

Flour, 1/2 lb.; butter, 3 oz.; sugar, 4 oz.; candied orange-rind, 1 oz. or more; grated nutmeg; cream (or milk) 1 small teacupful; egg-yolks 2, white 1; good carbonate of soda about the third of a teaspoonful: 15 to 25 minutes, moderate oven.

Victorian Recipes from HIGH-CLASS COOKERY MADE EASY. [Economical Cookery] By Mrs. Hart. [1880]

POUND CAKES.

Take one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, eight eggs, a few drops of lemon. Place the butter in a basin, and warm it in cold weather before the fire. Then beat with the hand. Have the eight eggs broken in a basin, and drop one at a time till the eight are added. Have a tin hoop lined with buttered paper; add one pound of sifted flour. Currants or raisins or lemon-peel can be added. Bake for one hour and a-quarter, in not too hot an oven.

CREAM CAKE.

Take three ounces of butter, three ounces of sugar, one egg, three glasses of milk, and a tea-spoonful of cinnamon; rub the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the egg and milk. Put two tea-spoonfuls of baking-powder with half-a-pound of flour, and knead it to a stiff dough. If this quantity of flour seems too soft, take a little more, as there is great difference in the strength of flour, and some flour takes more moisture in baking. Cooks must therefore be guided by its appearance. Roll the dough into a round cake; half cut through the centre with a smaller cutter. Bake for twenty minutes. When cooked, fill the centre with switched cream, and ice the top of it the same as ordinary cakes.

SPONGE CAKE.

Break three eggs into a copper pan; take the weight of three eggs of sifted sugar, and switch over a warm place, such as a pan of hot water, or over the fire, till the eggs are warmed. Then remove from the heat, and switch till cold, and the eggs assume the appearance of a thick cream. Then mix in very lightly the weight of three eggs of flour, flavour with vanilla, or almonds, or lemon, and bake in small sponge cake tins for ten minutes in a hot oven.

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR CAKE.

Take one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three eggs, and four cups of flour. Rub the butter and sugar to a cream; add the three eggs, one at a time; one cup of milk; mix two tea-spoonfuls of baking-powder with the flour, and stir into butter and sugar. Bake for one hour in a moderate oven.

GOLD CAKE.

Separate the yolks and whites of six eggs. For the gold cake, take the yolks of six eggs and beat to a cream, with six ounces of butter, six ounces of sugar, the juice of half a lemon, and a tea-cupful of milk. Mix butter, sugar, yolk of eggs, lemon, and milk all together, with three-quarters of a pound of flour and two tea-spoonfuls of baking-powder. Mix with flour, and add to the creamed sugar and butter.

SILVER CAKE.

This cake is made the same as the above, the only difference being to switch the whites to a stiff froth. Use the same proportions. Butter two tins or one large one, and lay the cake in alternated, so that when it is cut it will be nicely mixed, one yellow and one white. Serve cut in a cake basket.

CHEESE CAKES.

Place a pint of milk on the fire to get hot, and make a curd by putting a few drops of rennet in it; press the whey from the curd, mix three eggs with the curd, three ratafia biscuits, a glass of cream, two ounces of sugar, and a few drops of lemon. Press the curd in a napkin to absorb the moisture. Pound the above mixture in a mortar. Line half-a-dozen tartlet pans with puff paste, fill the tartlet pans with the cheese custard, and place a couple of stripes of candied peel on the top of each.

LEMON CAKES.

Take four ounces of butter, four ounces of sugar, the juice of a lemon, and half the rhind; rub on to the sugar the yolk of two eggs, one glass of warm milk; knead stiff dough, and roll out, and cut with fancy cutter any shape preferred.

JOHNNIE CAKE.

Take two cups of India meal [cornmeal], one cup of flour, mix three tea-spoonfuls of baking-powder, three spoonfuls of sugar, a half-cup of melted butter, two eggs. Add milk enough to make this a thick batter, and bake for half-an-hour in a square flat pan; cut in square pieces; it is a very nice cake for lunch.

GERMAN TEA CAKE.

Take three ounces of butter, three ounces of sugar, rubbed to a cream, one egg, yolk and white switched; add to the butter and sugar twelve ounces of flour, mix with the flour half-a-pound of currants, three tea-spoonfuls of baking-powder, and a tea-spoonful of cinnamon, one ounce lemon-peel, add one cup of milk to the butter and sugar; mix the flour, currants, cinnamon, and peel, all together, and bake for three-quarters of an hour in a hot oven. If the cakes are burning, lay a paper over to prevent this. Bake till nothing sticks to the straw when pierced.

QUAKER’S CAKES.

Take half-a-pound of sifted sugar, the yolks and whites of seven eggs beaten separately, the juice of one lemon, and a half-pound of almonds beaten fine with rose water. Beat the whites and yolks separately, then mix them with the other ingredients, except the flour. Beat them together half-an-hour, then shake in the flour, and put the cakes in the oven.

LOAF CAKE.

Take the size of a walnut of German yeast dissolved in a pint of warm milk, and a pinch of salt; stir as much flour in as will make a thick sponge. Set it to raise till it gets light and throws up little bubbles; then take two pounds of flour and make a hole in the centre, and pour in the sponge. Add three-quarters of a pound of butter, half-a-pound of soft sugar, four eggs, two ounces of lemon-peel, three-quarters of a pound of currants, three-quarters of a pound of raisins, and knead this all together, and set to raise for another hour; then, when light, bake for one hour in a moderate oven.

DOUGH NUTS.

Take three ounces of butter, three ounces of soft sugar, rubbed to a cream, one egg, a drop of vanilla, and one cup of milk, a pound and a half of flour with three tea-spoonfuls of baking-powder. Knead into a stiff dough, cut with a round cutter, cut a hole in the centre with a smaller cutter, and fry in hot lard.

ICES FOR CAKES.

Take half-a-pound of icing sugar to two whites of eggs; switch the whites to a stiff froth, stiff enough to lift on a knife; then add the sugar, and beat well up with the knife. Then pass through an icing-bag, on whatever is to be iced; ornament any fancy shape that is desired.

Victorian Cake baking tips from Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management [1861]

A FEW HINTS respecting the Making and Baking of CAKES.

1704. Eggs should always be broken into a cup, the whites and yolks separated, and they should always be strained. Breaking the eggs thus, the bad ones may be easily rejected without spoiling the others, and so cause no waste. As eggs are used instead of yeast, they should be very thoroughly whisked; they are generally sufficiently beaten when thick enough to carry the drop that falls from the whisk.

1705. Loaf Sugar should be well pounded, and then sifted through a fine sieve.

1706. Currants should be nicely washed, picked, dried in a cloth, and then carefully examined, that no pieces of grit or stone may be left amongst them. They should then be laid on a dish before the fire, to become thoroughly dry; as, if added damp to the other ingredients, cakes will be liable to be heavy.

1707. Good Butter should always be used in the manufacture of cakes; and if beaten to a cream, it saves much time and labour to warm, but not melt, it before beating.

1708. Less butter and eggs are required for cakes when yeast is mixed with the other ingredients.

1709. The heat of the oven is of great importance, especially for large cakes. If the heat be not tolerably fierce, the batter will not rise. If the oven is too quick, and there is any danger of the cake burning or catching, put a sheet of clean paper over the top. Newspaper, or paper that has been printed on, should never be used for this purpose.

1710. To know when a cake is sufficiently baked, plunge a clean knife into the middle of it; draw it quickly out, and if it looks in the least sticky, put the cake back, and close the oven door until the cake is done.

1711. Cakes should be kept in closed tin canisters or jars, and in a dry place. Those made with yeast do not keep so long as those made without it.

Victorian Cake recipes from Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management [1861]

NICE BREAKFAST CAKES.

1739. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of flour, 1/2 teaspoonful of tartaric acid, 1/2 teaspoonful of salt, 1/2 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1-1/2 breakfast-cupful of milk, 1 oz. of sifted loaf sugar, 2 eggs.

Mode.—These cakes are made in the same manner as the soda bread No. 1722, with the addition of eggs and sugar. Mix the flour, tartaric acid, and salt well together, taking care that the two latter ingredients are reduced to the finest powder, and stir in the sifted sugar, which should also be very fine. Dissolve the soda in the milk, add the eggs, which should be well whisked, and with this liquid work the flour, &c. into a light dough. Divide it into small cakes, put them into the oven immediately, and bake for about 20 minutes.

Time.—20 minutes.

ALMOND CAKE.

1752. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of sweet almonds, 1 oz. of bitter almonds, 6 eggs, 8 tablespoonfuls of sifted sugar, 5 tablespoonfuls of fine flour, the grated rind of 1 lemon, 3 oz. of butter.

Mode.—Blanch and pound the almonds to a paste; separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs; beat the latter, and add them to the almonds. Stir in the sugar, flour, and lemon-rind; add the butter, which should be beaten to a cream; and when all these ingredients are well mixed, put in the whites of the eggs, which should be whisked to a stiff froth. Butter a cake-mould, put in the mixture, and bake in a good oven from 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hour.

Time.—1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hour. Average cost, 1s.

Seasonable at any time.

RICH BRIDE OR CHRISTENING CAKE.

1753. INGREDIENTS.—5 lbs. of the finest flour, 3 lbs. of fresh butter, 5 lbs. of currants, 2 lbs. of sifted loaf sugar, 2 nutmegs, 1/4 oz. of mace, half 1/4 oz. of cloves, 16 eggs, 1 lb. of sweet almonds, 1/2 lb. of candied citron, 1/2 lb. each of candied orange and lemon peel, 1 gill of wine, 1 gill of brandy.

Mode.—Let the flour be as fine as possible, and well dried and sifted; the currants washed, picked, and dried before the fire; the sugar well pounded and sifted; the nutmegs grated, the spices pounded; the eggs thoroughly whisked, whites and yolks separately; the almonds pounded with a little orange-flower water, and the candied peel cut in neat slices. When all these ingredients are prepared, mix them in the following manner. Begin working the butter with the hand till it becomes of a cream-like consistency; stir in the sugar, and when the whites of the eggs are whisked to a solid froth, mix them with the butter and sugar; next, well beat up the yolks for 10 minutes, and, adding them to the flour, nutmegs, mace, and cloves, continue beating the whole together for 1/2 hour or longer, till wanted for the oven. Then mix in lightly the currants, almonds, and candied peel with the wine and brandy; and having lined a hoop with buttered paper, fill it with the mixture, and bake the cake in a tolerably quick oven, taking care, however, not to burn it: to prevent this, the top of it may be covered with a sheet of paper. To ascertain whether the cake is done, plunge a clean knife into the middle of it, withdraw it directly, and if the blade is not sticky, and looks bright, the cake is sufficiently baked. These cakes are usually spread with a thick layer of almond icing, and over that another layer of sugar icing, and afterwards ornamented. In baking a large cake like this, great attention must be paid to the heat of the oven; it should not be too fierce, but have a good soaking heat.

Time.—5 to 6 hours. Average cost, 2s. per lb.

CHRISTMAS CAKE.

1754. INGREDIENTS.—5 teacupfuls of flour, 1 teacupful of melted butter, 1 teacupful of cream, 1 teacupful of treacle, 1 teacupful of moist sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 oz. of powdered ginger, 1/2 lb. of raisins, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar.

Mode.—Make the butter sufficiently warm to melt it, but do not allow it to oil; put the flour into a basin; add to it the sugar, ginger, and raisins, which should be stoned and cut into small pieces. When these dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, stir in the butter, cream, treacle, and well-whisked eggs, and beat the mixture for a few minutes. Dissolve the soda in the vinegar, add it to the dough, and be particular that these latter ingredients are well incorporated with the others; put the cake into a buttered mould or tin, place it in a moderate oven immediately, and bake it from 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours.

Time.—1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours. Average cost, 1s. 6d.

COMMON CAKE, suitable for sending to Children at School.

1755. INGREDIENTS.—2 lbs. of flour, 4 oz. of butter or clarified dripping, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 1/4 oz. of allspice, 1/2 lb. of pounded sugar, 1 lb. of currants, 1 pint of milk, 3 tablespoonfuls of fresh yeast.

Mode.—Rub the butter lightly into the flour; add all the dry ingredients, and mix these well together. Make the milk warm, but not hot; stir in the yeast, and with this liquid make the whole into a light dough; knead it well, and line the cake-tins with strips of buttered paper; this paper should be about 6 inches higher than the top of the tin. Put in the dough; stand it in a warm place to rise for more than an hour; then bake the cakes in a well-heated oven. If this quantity be divided in two, they will take from 1-1/2 to 2 hours’ baking.

Time.—1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours. Average cost, 1s. 9d.

Sufficient to make 2 moderate-sized cakes.

ECONOMICAL CAKE.

1756. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter or lard, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, the whites of 4 eggs, 1/2 pint of milk.

Mode,—In making many sweet dishes, the whites of eggs are not required, and if well beaten and added to the above ingredients, make an excellent cake, with or without currants. Beat the butter to a cream, well whisk the whites of the eggs, and stir all the ingredients together but the soda, which must not be added until all is well mixed, and the cake is ready to be put into the oven. When the mixture has been well beaten, stir in the soda, put the cake into a buttered mould, and bake it in a moderate oven for 1-1/2 hour.

Time.—1-1/2 hour. Average cost, 1s. 3d.

A NICE USEFUL CAKE.

1757. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of butter, 6 oz. of currants, 1/4 lb. of sugar 1 lb. of dried flour, 2 teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, 3 eggs, 1 teacupful of milk, 2 oz. of sweet almonds, 1 oz. of candied peel.

Mode.—Beat the butter to a cream; wash, pick, and dry the currants; whisk the eggs; blanch and chop the almonds, and cut the peel into neat slices. When all these are ready, mix the dry ingredients together; then add the butter, milk, and eggs, and beat the mixture well for a few minutes. Put the cake into a buttered mould or tin, and bake it for rather more than 1-1/2 hour. The currants and candied peel may be omitted, and a little lemon or almond flavouring substituted for them: made in this manner, the cake will be found very good.

Time.—Rather more than 1-1/2 hour. Average cost, 1s. 9d.

HONEY CAKE.

1758. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 breakfast-cupful of sugar, 1 breakfast-cupful of rich sour cream, 2 breakfast-cupfuls of flour, 1/2 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, honey to taste.

Mode.—Mix the sugar and cream together; dredge in the flour, with as much honey as will flavour the mixture nicely; stir it well, that all the ingredients may be thoroughly mixed; add the carbonate of soda, and beat the cake well for another 5 minutes; put it into a buttered tin, bake it from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, and let it be eaten warm.

Time.—1/2 to 3/4 hour. Average cost, 8d.

Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable at any time.

GOOD HOLIDAY CAKE.

1763. INGREDIENTS.—1-1/2d. worth of Borwick’s German baking-powder, 2 lbs. of flour, 6 oz. of butter, 1/4 lb. of lard, 1 lb. of currants, 1/2 lb. of stoned and cut raisins, 1/4 lb. of mixed candied peel, 1/2 lb. of moist sugar, 3 eggs, 3/4 pint of cold milk.

Mode.—Mix the baking-powder with the flour; then rub in the butter and lard; have ready the currants, washed, picked, and dried the raisins stoned and cut into small pieces (not chopped), and the peel cut into neat slices. Add these with the sugar to the flour, &c., and mix all the dry ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs, stir to them the milk, and with this liquid moisten the cake; beat it up well, that all may be very thoroughly mixed; line a cake-tin with buttered paper, put in the cake, and bake it from 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours in a good oven. To ascertain when it is done, plunge a clean knife into the middle of it, and if, on withdrawing it, the knife looks clean, and not sticky, the cake is done. To prevent its burning at the top, a piece of clean paper may be put over whilst the cake is soaking, or being thoroughly cooked in the middle. A steamer, such as is used for steaming potatoes, makes a very good cake-tin, if it be lined at the bottom and sides with buttered paper.

Time.—2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours. Average cost, 2s. 6d.

Seasonable at any time.

LEMON CAKE.

1764. INGREDIENTS.—10 eggs, 3 tablespoonfuls of orange-flower water, 3/4 lb. of pounded loaf sugar, 1 lemon, 3/4 lb. of flour.

Mode.—Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs whisk the former to a stiff froth; add the orange-flower water, the sugar, grated lemon-rind, and mix these ingredients well together. Then beat the yolks of the eggs, and add them, with the lemon-juice, to the whites, &c.; dredge in the flour gradually; keep beating the mixture well; put it into a buttered mould, and bake the cake about an hour, or rather longer. The addition of a little butter, beaten to a cream, we think, would improve this cake.

Time.—About 1 hour. Average cost, 1s. 4d.

Seasonable at any time.

LUNCHEON CAKE.

1765. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of flour, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 1/4 lb. of currants, 6 oz. of moist sugar, 1 oz. of candied peel, 3 eggs, 1/2 pint of milk, 1 small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.

Mode.—Rub the butter into the flour until it is quite fine; add the caraway seeds, currants (which should be nicely washed, picked, and dried), sugar, and candied peel cut into thin slices; mix these well together, and moisten with the eggs, which should be well whisked. Boil the milk, and add to it, whilst boiling, the carbonate of soda, which must be well stirred into it, and, with the milk, mix the other ingredients. Butter a tin, pour the cake into it, and bake it in a moderate oven from 3/4 to 1 hour.

Time.—1 to 14 hour. Average cost, 1s. 8d. Seasonable at any time.

CARBONATE OF SODA—Soda was called the mineral alkali, because it was originally dug up out of the ground in Africa and other countries: this state of carbonate of soda is called natron. But carbonate of soda is likewise procured from the combustion of marine plants, or such as grow on the sea-shore. Pure carbonate of soda is employed for making effervescing draughts, with lemon-juice, citric acid, or tartaric acid. The chief constituent of soda, the alkali, has been used in France from time immemorial in the manufacture of soap and glass, two chemical productions which employ and keep in circulation an immense amount of capital. A small pinch of carbonate of soda will give an extraordinary lightness to puff pastes; and, introduced into the teapot, will extract the full strength of the tea. But its qualities have a powerful effect upon delicate constitutions, and it is not to be used incautiously in any preparation.

A NICE PLAIN CAKE.

1766. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of flour, 1 teaspoonful of Borwick’s baking-powder, 1/4 lb. of good dripping, 1 teacupful of moist sugar, 3 eggs, 1 breakfast-cupful of milk, 1 oz. of caraway seeds, 1/2 lb. of currants.

Mode.—Put the flour and baking-powder into a basin; stir those together; then rub in the dripping, add the sugar, caraway seeds, and currants; whisk the eggs with the milk, and beat all together very thoroughly until the ingredients are well mixed. Butter a tin, put in the cake, and bake it from 11/2 to 2 hours. Let the dripping be quite clean before using: to insure this, it is a good plan to clarify it. Beef dripping is better than any other for cakes, &c., as mutton dripping frequently has a very unpleasant flavour, which would be imparted to the preparation.

Time.—1-1/2 to 2 hours. Average cost, 1s.

Seasonable at any time.

A NICE PLAIN CAKE FOR CHILDREN.

1767. INGREDIENTS.—1 quartern of dough, 1/4 lb. of moist sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter or good beef dripping, 1/4 pint of warm milk, 1/2 grated nutmeg or 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds.

Mode.—If you are not in the habit of making bread at home, procure the dough from the baker’s, and, as soon as it comes in, put it into a basin near the fire; cover the basin with a thick cloth, and let the dough remain a little while to rise. In the mean time, beat the butter to a cream, and make the milk warm; and when the dough has risen, mix with it thoroughly all the above ingredients, and knead the cake well for a few minutes. Butter some cake-tins, half fill them, and stand them in a warm place, to allow the dough to rise again. When the tins are three parts full, put the cakes into a good oven, and bake them from 13/4 to 2 hours. A few currants might be substituted for the caraway seeds when the flavour of the latter is disliked.

Time.—1-3/4 to 2 hours. Average cost, 1s. 2d.

Seasonable at any time.

COMMON PLUM CAKE.

1768. INGREDIENTS.—3 lbs. of flour, 6 oz. of butter or good dripping, 6 oz. of moist sugar, 6 oz. of currants, 4 oz. of pounded allspice, 2 tablespoonfuls of fresh yeast, 1 pint of new milk.

Mode.—Rub the butter into the flour; add the sugar, currants, and allspice; warm the milk, stir to it the yeast, and mix the whole into a dough; knead it well, and put it into 6 buttered tins; place them near the fire for nearly an hour for the dough to rise, then bake the cakes in a good oven from 1 to 11/4 hour. To ascertain when they are done, plunge a clean knife into the middle, and if on withdrawal it comes out clean, the cakes are done.

Time.—1 to 1-1/4 hour.

Average cost, 1s. 8d.

Sufficient to make 6 small cakes.

A NICE PLUM CAKE.

1769. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of sugar, 1/2 lb. of currants, 2 oz. of candied lemon-peel, 1/2 pint of milk, 1 teaspoonful of ammonia or carbonate of soda.

Mode.—Put the flour into a basin with the sugar, currants, and sliced candied peel; beat the butter to a cream, and mix all these ingredients together with the milk. Stir the ammonia into 2 tablespoonfuls of milk and add it to the dough, and beat the whole well, until everything is thoroughly mixed. Put the dough into a buttered tin, and bake the cake from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Time.—1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Average cost, 1s. 3d.

Seasonable at any time.

POUND CAKE.

1770. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of butter, 1-1/4 lb. of flour, 1 lb. of pounded loaf sugar, 1 lb. of currants, 9 eggs, 2 oz. of candied peel, 1/2 oz. of citron, 1/2 oz. of sweet almonds; when liked, a little pounded mace.

Mode.—Work the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar, currants, candied peel, which should be cut into neat slices, and the almonds, which should be blanched and chopped, and mix all these well together; whisk the eggs, and let them be thoroughly blended with the dry ingredients. Beat the cake well for 20 minutes, and put it into a round tin, lined at the bottom and sides with a strip of white buttered paper. Bake it from 1-1/2 to 2 hours, and let the oven be well heated when the cake is first put in, as, if this is not the case, the currants will all sink to the bottom of it. To make this preparation light, the yolks and whites of the eggs should be beaten separately, and added separately to the other ingredients. A glass of wine is sometimes added to the mixture; but this is scarcely necessary, as the cake will be found quite rich enough without it.

Time.—1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Average cost, 3s. 6d.

Sufficient.—The above quantity divided in two will make two nice-sized cakes.

Seasonable at any time.

A PAVINI CAKE.

1771. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of ground rice, 1/2 lb. of raisins stoned and cut into small pieces, 1/4 lb. of currants, 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 oz. of sweet almonds, 1/4 lb. of sifted loaf sugar, 1/2 nutmeg grated, 1 pint of milk, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.

Mode.—Stone and cut the raisins into small pieces; wash, pick, and dry the currants; melt the butter to a cream, but without oiling it; blanch and chop the almonds, and grate the nutmeg. When all these ingredients are thus prepared, mix them well together; make the milk warm, stir in the soda, and with this liquid make the whole into a paste. Butter a mould, rather more than half fill it with the dough, and bake the cake in a moderate oven from 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or less time should it be made into 2 cakes.

Time.—1-1/2 to 2 hours. Average cost, 1s. 8d.

Seasonable at any time.

RICE CAKE.

1772. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of ground rice, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of loaf sugar, 9 eggs, 20 drops of essence of lemon, or the rind of 1 lemon, 1/4 lb. of butter.

Mode.—Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs; whisk them both well, and add to the latter the butter beaten to a cream. Stir in the flour, rice, and lemon (if the rind is used, it must be very finely minced), and beat the mixture well; then add the whites of the eggs, beat the cake again for some time, put it into a buttered mould or tin, and bake it for nearly 1-1/2 hour. It may be flavoured with essence of almonds, when this is preferred.

Time.—Nearly 1-1/2 hour. Average cost, 1s. 6d.

Seasonable at any time.

QUEEN-CAKES.

1773. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of pounded loaf sugar, 3 eggs, 1 teacupful of cream, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, essence of lemon, or almonds to taste.

Mode.—Work the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour, add the sugar and currants, and mix the ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs, mix them with the cream and flavouring, and stir these to the flour; add the carbonate of soda, beat the paste well for 10 minutes, put it into small buttered pans, and bake the cake from 1/4 to 1/2 hour.

Grated lemon-rind may be substituted for the lemon and almond flavouring, which will make the cakes equally nice.

Time. 1/4 to 1/2 hour.

Average cost, 1s. 9d.

Seasonable at any time.

SAUCER-CAKE FOR TEA.

1774. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of tous-les-mois, 1/4 lb. of pounded white sugar, 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 eggs, 1 oz. of candied orange or lemon-peel.

Mode.—Mix the flour and tous-les-mois together; add the sugar, the candied peel cut into thin slices, the butter beaten to a cream, and the eggs well whisked. Beat the mixture for 10 minutes, put it into a buttered cake-tin or mould, or, if this is not obtainable, a soup-plate answers the purpose, lined with a piece of buttered paper. Bake the cake in a moderate oven from 1 to 1-1/4 hour, and when cold, put it away in a covered canister. It will remain good some weeks, even if it be cut into slices.

Time.—1 to 1-1/4 hour.

Average cost, 1s.

Seasonable at any time.

COMMON SEED-CAKE.

1775. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 quartern of dough, 1/4 lb. of good dripping, 6 oz. of moist sugar, 1/2 oz. of caraway seeds, 1 egg.

Mode.—If the dough is sent in from the baker’s, put it in a basin covered with a cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise. Then with a wooden spoon beat the dripping to a liquid; add it, with the other ingredients, to the dough, and beat it until everything is very thoroughly mixed. Put it into a buttered tin, and bake the cake for rather more than 2 hours.

Time.—Rather more than 2 hours.

Average cost, 8d.

Seasonable at any time.

A VERY GOOD SEED-CAKE.

1776. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of butter, 6 eggs, 3/4 lb. of sifted sugar, pounded mace and grated nutmeg to taste, 1 lb. of flour, 3/4 oz. of caraway seeds, 1 wineglassful of brandy.

Mode.—Beat the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar, mace, nutmeg, and caraway seeds, and mix these ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs, stir to them the brandy, and beat the cake again for 10 minutes. Put it into a tin lined with buttered paper, and bake it from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. This cake would be equally nice made with currants, and omitting the caraway seeds.

Time.—1-1/2 to 2 hours. Average cost, 2s. 6d.

Seasonable at any time.

SNOW-CAKE.

1777. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of tous-les-mois, 1/4 lb. of white pounded sugar, 1/4 lb. of fresh or washed salt butter, 1 egg, the juice of 1 lemon.

Mode.—Beat the butter to a cream; then add the egg, previously well beaten, and then the other ingredients; if the mixture is not light, add another egg, and beat for 1/4 hour, until it turns white and light. Line a flat tin, with raised edges, with a sheet of buttered paper; pour in the cake, and put it into the oven. It must be rather slow, and the cake not allowed to brown at all. If the oven is properly heated, 1 to 1-1/4 hour will be found long enough to bake it. Let it cool a few minutes, then with a clean sharp knife cut it into small square pieces, which should be gently removed to a large flat dish to cool before putting away. This will keep for several weeks.

Time.—1 to 1-1/4 hour. Average cost, 1s. 3d.

Seasonable at any time.

SNOW-CAKE.

(A genuine Scotch Recipe.)

1778. INGREDIENTS.—1 lb. of arrowroot, 1/2 lb. of pounded white sugar, 1/2 lb. of butter, the whites of 6 eggs; flavouring to taste, of essence of almonds, or vanilla, or lemon.

Mode.—Beat the butter to a cream; stir in the sugar and arrowroot gradually, at the same time beating the mixture. Whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add them to the other ingredients, and beat well for 20 minutes. Put in whichever of the above flavourings may be preferred; pour the cake into a buttered mould or tin and bake it in a moderate oven from 1 to 1-1/2 hour.

Time.—1 to 1-1/2 hour.

Average cost, with the best Bermuda arrowroot, 4s. 6d.; with St. Vincent ditto, 2s. 9d.

Sufficient to make a moderate-sized cake. Seasonable at any time.

SCRAP-CAKES.

1779. INGREDIENTS.—2 lbs. of leaf, or the inside fat of a pig; 1-1/2 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of moist sugar, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1 oz. of candied lemon-peel, ground allspice to taste.

Mode.—Cut the leaf, or flead, as it is sometimes called, into small pieces; put it into a large dish, which place in a quick oven; be careful that it does not burn, and in a short time it will be reduced to oil, with the small pieces of leaf floating on the surface; and it is of these that the cakes should be made. Gather all the scraps together, put them into a basin with the flour, and rub them well together. Add the currants, sugar, candied peel, cut into thin slices, and the ground allspice. When all these ingredients are well mixed, moisten with sufficient cold water to make the whole into a nice paste; roll it out thin, cut it into shapes, and bake the cakes in a quick oven from 15 to 20 minutes. These are very economical and wholesome cakes for children, and the lard, melted at home, produced from the flead, is generally better than that you purchase. To prevent the lard from burning, and to insure its being a good colour, it is better to melt it in a jar placed in a saucepan of boiling water; by doing it in this manner, there will be no chance of its discolouring.

Time.—15 to 20 minutes.

Sufficient to make 3 or 4 dozen cakes.

Seasonable from September to March.

SODA-CAKE.

1781. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1/2 lb. of moist sugar, 1 teacupful of milk, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.

Mode.—Rub the butter into the flour, add the currants and sugar, and mix these ingredients well together. Whisk the eggs well, stir them to the flour, &c., with the milk, in which the soda should be previously dissolved, and beat the whole up together with a wooden spoon or beater. Divide the dough into two pieces, put them into buttered moulds or cake-tins, and bake in a moderate oven for nearly an hour. The mixture must be extremely well beaten up, and not allowed to stand after the soda is added to it, but must be placed in the oven immediately. Great care must also be taken that the cakes are quite done through, which may be ascertained by thrusting a knife into the middle of them: if the blade looks bright when withdrawn, they are done. If the tops acquire too much colour before the inside is sufficiently baked, cover them over with a piece of clean white paper, to prevent them from burning.

Time.—1 hour.

Average cost, 1s. 6d.

Sufficient to make 2 small cakes.

Seasonable at any time.

SAVOY CAKE.

1782. INGREDIENTS.—The weight of 4 eggs in pounded loaf sugar, the weight of 7 in flour, a little grated lemon-rind, or essence of almonds, or orange-flower water.

Mode.—Break the 7 eggs, putting the yolks into one basin and the whites into another. Whisk the former, and mix with them the sugar, the grated lemon-rind, or any other flavouring to taste; beat them well together, and add the whites of the eggs, whisked to a froth. Put in the flour by degrees, continuing to beat the mixture for 1/4 hour, butter a mould, pour in the cake, and bake it from 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour. This is a very nice cake for dessert, and may be iced for a supper-table, or cut into slices and spread with jam, which converts it into sandwiches.

Time.—1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour.

Average cost, 1s.

Sufficient for 1 cake.

Seasonable at any time.

SPONGE-CAKE.

I.

1783. INGREDIENTS.—The weight of 8 eggs in pounded loaf sugar, the weight of 5 in flour, the rind of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoonful of brandy.

Mode.—Put the eggs into one side of the scale, and take the weight of 8 in pounded loaf sugar, and the weight of 5 in good dry flour. Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the former, put them into a saucepan with the sugar, and let them remain over the fire until milk-warm, keeping them well stirred. Then put them into a basin, add the grated lemon-rind mixed with the brandy, and stir these well together, dredging in the flour very gradually. Whisk the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, stir them to the flour, &c., and beat the cake well for 1/4 hour. Put it into a buttered mould strewn with a little fine sifted sugar, and bake the cake in a quick oven for 1-1/2 hour. Care must be taken that it is put into the oven immediately, or it will not be light. The flavouring of this cake may be varied by adding a few drops of essence of almonds instead of the grated lemon-rind.

Time.—1-1/2 hour.

Average cost, 1s. 3d.

Sufficient for 1 cake.

Seasonable at any time.

II.

1784. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 lb. of loaf sugar, not quite 1/4 pint of water, 5 eggs, 1 lemon, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/4 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda.

Mode.—Boil the sugar and water together until they form a thick syrup; let it cool a little, then pour it to the eggs, which should be previously well whisked; and after the eggs and syrup are mixed together, continue beating them for a few minutes. Grate the lemon-rind, mix the carbonate of soda with the flour, and stir these lightly to the other ingredients; then add the lemon-juice, and, when the whole is thoroughly mixed, pour it into a buttered mould, and bake in rather a quick oven for rather more than 1 hour. The remains of sponge or Savoy cakes answer very well for trifles, light puddings, &c.; and a very stale one (if not mouldy) makes an excellent tipsy-cake.

Time.—Rather more than 1 hour.

Average cost, 10d.

Sufficient to make 1 cake.

Seasonable at any time.

TO MAKE SMALL SPONGE-CAKES.

1785. INGREDIENTS.—The weight of 5 eggs in flour, the weight of 8 in pounded loaf sugar; flavouring to taste.

Mode.—Let the flour be perfectly dry, and the sugar well pounded and sifted. Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs, and beat the latter up with the sugar; then whisk the whites until they become rather stiff, and mix them with the yolks, but do not stir them more than is just necessary to mingle the ingredients well together. Dredge in the flour by degrees, add the flavouring; batter the tins well, pour in the batter, sift a little sugar over the cakes, and bake them in rather a quick oven, but do not allow them to take too much colour, as they should be rather pale. Remove them from the tins before they get cold, and turn them on their faces, where let them remain until quite cold, when store them away in a closed tin canister or wide-mouthed glass bottle.

Time.—10 to 15 minutes in a quick oven.

Average cost, 1d. each.

Seasonable at any time.

A NICE YEAST-CAKE.

1788. INGREDIENTS.—1-1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 pint of milk, 1-1/2 tablespoonful of good yeast, 3 eggs, 3/4 lb. of currants, 1/2 lb. of white moist sugar, 2 oz. of candied peel.

Mode.—Put the milk and butter into a saucepan, and shake it round over a fire until the butter is melted, but do not allow the milk to get very hot. Put the flour into a basin, stir to it the milk and butter, the yeast, and eggs, which should be well beaten, and form the whole into a smooth dough. Let it stand in a warm place, covered with a cloth, to rise, and, when sufficiently risen, add the currants, sugar, and candied peel cut into thin slices. When all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, line 2 moderate-sized cake-tins with buttered paper, which should be about six inches higher than the tin; pour in the mixture, let it stand to rise again for another 1/2 hour, and then bake the cakes in a brisk oven for about 1-1/2 hour. If the tops of them become too brown, cover them with paper until they are done through. A few drops of essence of lemon, or a little grated nutmeg, may be added when the flavour is liked.

Time.—From 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hour. Average cost, 2s.

Sufficient to make 2 moderate-sized cakes.

Seasonable at any time.

THE LADY’S OWN COOKERY BOOK, AND NEW DINNER-TABLE DIRECTORY; [1844]

Cake.

Five pounds of flour dried, six pounds of currants, a quart of boiled cream, a pound and a half of butter, twenty eggs, the whites of six only, a pint of ale yest, one ounce of cinnamon finely beaten, one ounce of cloves and mace also well beaten, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a little salt, half a pound of orange and citron. Put in the cream and butter when it is just warm; mix all well together, and let it stand before the fire to rise. Put it into your hoop, and leave it in the oven an hour and a quarter. The oven should be as hot as for a manchet.

An excellent Cake.

Beat half a pound of sifted sugar and the same quantity of fresh butter to a cream, in a basin made warm; mixing half a pound of flour well dried, six eggs, leaving out four whites, and one table-spoonful of brandy. The butter is to be beaten in first, then the flour, next the sugar, the eggs, and lastly, the brandy. Currants or caraways may be added at pleasure. It must be beaten an hour, and put in the oven immediately.

A great Cake.

Take six quarts of fine flour dried in an oven, six pounds of currants, five pounds of butter, two pounds and a half of sugar, one pound of citron, three quarters of a pound of orange-peel, and any other sweetmeat you think proper; a pound of almonds ground very small, a few coriander seeds beat and sifted, half an ounce of mace, four nutmegs, sixteen eggs, six of the whites, half a pint of sack, and half a pint of ale yest.

Light Cake.

One pound of the finest flour, one ounce of powdered sugar, five ounces of butter, three table-spoonfuls of fresh yest.

A nice Cake.

Take nine eggs; beat the yolks and whites separately; the weight of eight eggs in sugar, and five in flour: whisk the eggs and the sugar together for half an hour; then put in the flour, just before the oven is ready to bake it. Both the sugar and the flour must be sifted and dried.

A Plain Cake.

Take a pound of flour, well dried and sifted; add to it one pound of sugar also dried and sifted; take one pound of butter, and work it in your hands till it is like cream; beat very light the yolks of ten eggs and six whites. Mix all these by degrees, beating it very light, and a little sack and brandy. It must not stand to rise. If you choose fruit, add one pound of currants, washed, picked, and dried.

A very rich Cake.

Two pounds and a half of fresh butter, twenty-four eggs, three-pounds of flour, one pound and a half of sugar, one ounce of mixed spice, four pounds of currants, half a jar of raisins, half of sweet almonds, a quarter of a pound of citron, three quarters of orange and lemon, one gill of brandy, and one nutmeg. First work the butter to a cream; then beat the sugar well in; whisk the eggs half an hour; mix them with the butter and sugar; put in the spice and flour; and, when the oven is ready, mix in the brandy, fruit, and sweetmeats. It will take one hour and a half beating. Let it bake three hours.

Cake without butter.

Beat up eight eggs for half an hour. Have ready powdered and sifted one pound of loaf sugar; shake it in, and beat it half an hour longer. Put to it a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds beat fine with orange-flower water; grate the rind of a lemon into the almonds, and squeeze in the juice. Mix all together. Just before you put it in the oven, add a quarter of a pound of dry flour; rub the hoop or tin with butter. An hour and a half will bake it.

Another.

Take ten eggs and the whites of five; whisk them well, and beat in one pound of finely sifted sugar, and three quarters of a pound of flour: the flour to be put in just before the cake is going to the oven.

Almond Cake.

Take a pound of almonds; blanch them in cold water, and beat them as small as possible in a stone mortar with a wooden pestle, putting in, as you beat them, some orange-flower water. Then take twelve eggs, leaving out half of the whites; beat them well; put them to your almonds, and beat them together, above an hour, till it becomes of a good thickness. As you beat it, sweeten it to your taste with double-refined sugar powdered, and when the eggs are put in add the peel of two large lemons finely rasped. When you beat the almonds in the mortar with orange-water, put in by degrees about four spoonfuls of citron water or ratafia of apricots, or, for want of these, brandy and sack mixed together, two spoonfuls of each. The cake must be baked in a tin pan; flour the pan before you put the cake into it. To try if it is done enough, thrust a straw through it, and if the cake sticks to the straw it is not baked enough; let it remain till the straw comes out clean.

Another.

Take twelve eggs, leaving out half the whites; beat the yolks by themselves till they look white; put to them by degrees one pound of fine sifted sugar; put in, by a spoonful at a time, three quarters of a pound of fine flour, well dried and sifted, with the whites of the eggs well beaten, and continue this till all the flour and the whites are in. Then beat very fine half a pound of fine almonds, with sack and brandy, to prevent their oiling; stir them into the cake. Bake it three quarters of an hour. Ratafia cake is made in the same manner, only keep out two ounces of the almonds, and put in their stead two of apricot kernels; if you have none, use bitter almonds.

Apple Cake.

Take one pound and a half of white sugar, two pounds of apples, pared and cut thin, and the rind of a large lemon; put a pint of water to the sugar, and boil it to a syrup; put the apples to it, and boil it quite thick. Put it into a mould to cool, and send it cold to table, with a custard, or cream poured round it.

Another.

One pound of apples cut and cored, one pound of sugar put to a quarter of a pint of water, so as to clarify the sugar, with the juice and peel of a lemon, and a little Seville orange. Boil it till it is quite stiff; put it in a mould; when cold it will turn out. You may put it into a little warm water to keep it from breaking when taken out.

Biscuit Cake.

Take eggs according to the size of the cake, weigh them, shells and all; then take an equal weight of sugar, sifted very fine, and half the weight of fine flour, well dried and sifted. Beat the whites of the eggs to snow; then put the yolks in another pan; beat them light, and add the sugar to them by degrees. Beat them until very light; then put the snow, continuing to beat; and at last add by degrees the flour. Season with lemon-peel grated, or any peel you like; bake it in a slow oven, but hot enough to make it rise.

Bread Cake.

Take two pounds of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, four eggs, one spoonful of good yest, half a pound of currants, half a pound of Lisbon sugar, some grated lemon-peel, and nutmeg. Melt the butter and sugar in a sufficient quantity of new milk to make it of a proper stiffness. Set it to rise for two hours and a half before the fire, and bake it in an earthen pan or tin in a quick oven, of a light brown.

Caraway seeds may be added—two ounces to the above quantity.

Breakfast Cakes.

To a pound of fine flour take two ounces of fresh butter, which rub very well in with a little salt. Beat an egg smooth, and mix a spoonful of light yest with a little warm milk. Mix as much in the flour as will make a batter proper for fritters; then beat it with your hand till it leaves the bottom of the bowl in which it is made. Cover it up for three or four hours; then add as much flour as will form a paste proper for rolling up; make your cakes half an hour before you put them into the oven; prick them in the middle with a skewer, and bake them in a quick oven a quarter of an hour.

Excellent Breakfast Cakes.

Water the yest well that it may not be bitter; change the water very often; put a very little sugar and water to it just as you are going to use it; this is done to lighten and set it fermenting. As soon as you perceive it to be light, mix up with it new milk warmed, as if for other bread; put no water to it; about one pound or more of butter to about sixteen or eighteen cakes, and a white of two of egg, beat very light; mix all these together as light as you can; then add flour to it, and beat it at least a quarter of an hour, until it is a tough light dough. Put it to the fire and keep it warm, and warm the tins on which the cakes are to be baked. When the dough has risen, and is light, beat it down, and put it to the fire again to rise, and repeat this a second time; it will add much to the lightness of the cakes. Make them of the size of a saucer, or thereabouts, and not too thick, and bake them in a slow oven. The dough, if made a little stiffer, will be very good for rolls; but they must be baked in a quicker oven.

Bath Breakfast Cakes.

A pint of thin cream, two eggs, three spoonfuls of yest, and a little salt. Mix all well together with half a pound of flour. Let it stand to rise before you put it in the oven. The cakes must be baked on tins.

Butter Cake.

Take four pounds of flour, one pound of currants, three pounds of butter, fourteen eggs, leaving out the whites, half an ounce of mace, one pound of sugar, half a pint of sack, a pint of ale yest, a quart of milk boiled. Take it off, and let it cool. Rub the butter well in the floor; put in the sugar and spice, with the rest of the ingredients; wet it with a ladle, and beat it well together. Do not put the currants till the cake is ready to go into the oven. Butter the dish, and heat the oven as hot as for wheaten bread. You must not wet it till the oven is ready.

Caraway Cake. No. 1.

Melt two pounds of fresh butter in tin or silver; let it stand twenty-four hours; then rub into it four pounds of fine flour, dried. Mix in eight eggs, and whip the whites to a froth, a pint of the best yest, and a pint of sack, or any fine strong sweet wine. Put in two pounds of caraway seeds. Mix all these ingredients thoroughly; put the paste into a buttered pan, and bake for two hours and a half. You may mix with it half an ounce of cloves and cinnamon.

Caraway Cake. No. 2.

Take a quart of flour, a quarter of a pint of good ale yest, three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, one quarter of a pound of almonds, three quarters of a pound of caraway comfits, a handful of sugar, four eggs, leaving out two of the whites, new milk, boiled and set to cool, citron, orange, and lemon-peel, at your discretion, and two spoonfuls of sack. First rub your flour and yest together, then rub in the butter, and make it into a stiff batter with the milk, eggs, and sack; and, when you are ready to put it into the oven, add the other ingredients. Butter your hoop and the paper that lies under. This cake will require about three quarters of an hour baking; if you make it larger, you must allow more time.

Egg Cake.

Beat eight eggs, leaving out half the whites, for half an hour; half a pound of lump-sugar, pounded and sifted, to be put in during that time; then, by degrees, mix in half a pound of flour. Bake as soon after as possible. Butter the tin.

Enamelled Cake.

Beat one pound of almonds, with three quarters of a pound of fine sugar, to a paste; then put a little musk, and roll it out thin. Cut it in what shape you please, and let it dry. Then beat up isinglass with white of eggs, and cover it on both sides.

Epsom Cake.

Half a pound of butter beat to a cream, half a pound of sugar, four eggs, whites and yolks beat separately, half a quartern of French roll dough, two ounces of caraway seeds, and one tea-spoonful of grated ginger: if for a plum-cake, a quarter of a pound of currants.

Ginger Cakes.

To a pound of sugar put half an ounce of ginger, the rind of a lemon, and four large spoonfuls of water. Stir it well together, and boil it till it is a stiff candy; then drop it in small cakes on a wet table.

Ginger or Hunting Cakes. No. 1.

Take three pounds of flour, two pounds of sugar, one pound of butter, two ounces of ginger, pounded and sifted fine, and a nutmeg grated. Rub these ingredients very fine in the flour, and wet it with a pint of cream, just warm, sufficiently to roll out into thin cakes. Bake them in a slack oven.

Ginger or Hunting Cakes. No. 2.

Rub half a pound of butter into a pound of flour; add a quarter of a pound of powder-sugar, one ounce of ginger, beat and sifted, the yolks of three eggs, and one gill of cream. A slow fire does them best.

Ginger or Hunting Cakes. No. 3.

One ounce of butter, one ounce of sugar, twelve grains of ginger, a quarter of a pound of flour, and treacle sufficient to make it into a paste; roll it out thin, and bake it.

Jersey Cake.

To a pound of flour take three quarters of a pound of fresh butter beaten to a cream, three quarters of a pound of lump sugar finely pounded, nine eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, nutmeg to your taste. Add a glass of brandy.

Jersey Merveilles.

One pound of flour, two ounces of butter, the same of sugar, a spoonful of brandy, and five eggs. When well mixed, roll out and make into fancy shapes, and boil in hot lard. The Jersey shape is a true-lover’s knot.

London Wigs.

Take a quarter of a peck of flour; put to it half a pound of sugar, and as much caraways, smooth or rough, as you like; mix these, and set them to the fire to dry. Then make a pound and half of butter hot over a gentle fire; stir it often, and add to it nearly a quart of milk or cream; when the butter is melted in the cream, pour it into the middle of the flour, and to it add a couple of wine-glasses of good white wine, and a full pint and half of very good ale yest; let it stand before the fire to rise, before you lay your cakes on the tin plates to bake.

Portugal Cakes.

Put one pound of fine sugar, well beaten and sifted, one pound of fresh butter, five eggs, and a little beaten mace, into a flat pan: beat it up with your hand until it is very light; then put in by degrees one pound of fine flour well dried and sifted, half a pound of currants picked, washed, and well dried; beat them together till very light; bake them in heart pans in a slack oven.

Pound Cake.

Take a pound of flour and a pound of butter; beat to a cream eight eggs, leaving out the whites of four, and beat them up with the butter. Put the flour in by degrees, one pound of sugar, a few caraway seeds, and currants, if you like; half a pound will do.

Another.

Take half a pound of butter, and half a pound of powdered lump-sugar; beat them till they are like a cream. Then take three eggs, leaving out the whites of two; beat them very well with a little brandy; then put the eggs to the butter and sugar; beat it again till it is come to a cream. Shake over it half a pound of dried flour; beat it well with your hand; add half a nutmeg, half an ounce of caraway seeds, and what sweetmeat you please. Butter the mould well.

Pound Davy.

Beat up well ten eggs and half a pound of sugar with a little rose-water; mix in half a pound of flour, and bake it in a pan.

Ratafia Cakes.

Bitter and sweet almonds, of each a quarter of a pound, blanched and well dried with a napkin, finely pounded with the white of an egg; three quarters of a pound of finely pounded sugar mixed with the almonds. Have the whites of three eggs beat well, and mix up with the sugar and almonds; put the mixture with a tea-spoon on white paper, and bake it in a slow heat; when the cakes are cold, they come off easily from the paper. When almonds are pounded, they are generally sprinkled with a little water, otherwise they become oily. Instead of water take to the above the white of an egg or a little more; to the whole of the above quantity the whites of four eggs are used.

Rice Cake.

Ground rice, flour and loaf-sugar, of each six ounces, eight eggs, leaving out five of the whites, the peel of a lemon grated: beat all together half an hour, and bake it three quarters of an hour in a quick oven.

Another.

Take one pound of sifted rice flour, one pound of fine sugar finely beaten and sifted, and sixteen eggs, leaving out half the whites; beat them a quarter of an hour at least, separately; then add the sugar, and beat it with the eggs extremely well and light. When they are as light as possible, add by degrees the rice-flour; beat them all together for an hour as light as you can. Put in a little orange-flower water, or brandy, and candied peel, if you like; the oven must not be too hot.

Royal Cakes.

Take three pounds of very fine flour, one pound and a half of butter, and as much currants, seven yolks and three whites of eggs, a nutmeg grated, a little rose-water, one pound and a half of sugar finely beaten; knead it well and light, and bake on tins.

Savoy or Sponge Cake.

Take twelve new-laid eggs, and their weight in double refined sugar; pound it fine, and sift it through a lawn sieve; beat the yolks very light, and add the sugar to them by degrees; beat the whole well together till it is extremely light. Whisk the whites of the eggs to a strong froth; then mix all together by adding the yolks and the sugar to the whites. Have ready the weight of seven eggs in fine flour very well dried and sifted; stir it in by degrees, and grate in the rind of a lemon. Butter a mould well, and bake in a quick oven. About half an hour or forty minutes will do it.

Seed Cake. No. 1.

Heat a wooden bowl, and work in three pounds of butter with your hands, till it is as thin as cream; then work in by degrees two pounds of fine sugar sifted, and eighteen eggs well beaten, leaving out four of the whites; put the eggs in by degrees. Take three pounds of the finest flour, well dried and sifted, mixed with one ounce and a half of caraway seeds, one nutmeg, and a little mace; put them in the flour as you did the sugar, and beat it well up with your hands; put it in your hoop; and it will take two hours’ baking. You may add sweetmeats if you like. The dough must be made by the fire, and kept constantly worked with the hands to mix it well together. If you have sweetmeats, put half a pound of citron, a quarter of a pound of lemon-peel, and put the dough lightly into the hoop, just before you send it to the oven, without smoothing it at top, for that makes it heavy.

Seed Cake. No. 2.

Take a pound and a half of butter; beat it to a cream with your hand or a flat stick; beat twelve eggs, the yolks in one pan and the whites in another, as light as possible, and then beat them together, adding by degrees one pound and a half of well dried and sifted loaf-sugar, and a little sack and brandy. When the oven is nearly ready, mix all together, with one pound and a half of well dried and sifted flour, half a pound of sliced almonds, and some caraway seeds: beat it well with your hand before you put it into the hoop.

Seed Cake. No. 3, called Borrow Brack.

Melt one pound and a half of butter in a quart of milk made warm. Mix fourteen eggs in half a pint of yest. Take half a peck of flour, and one pound of sugar, both dried and sifted, four ounces of caraway seeds, and two ounces of beaten ginger. Mix all well together. First put the eggs and the yest to the flour, then add the butter and the milk. Make it into a paste of the substance of that for French bread; if not flour enough add what is sufficient; and if too much, put some warm new milk. Let it stand for above half an hour at the fire, before you make it up into what form you please.

Shrewsbury Cakes.

Take three pounds and a half of fresh butter, work the whey and any salt that it may contain well out of it. Take four pounds of fine flour well dried and sifted, one ounce of powdered cinnamon, five eggs well beaten, and two pounds of loaf-sugar well dried and sifted. Put them all into the flour, and work them well together into a paste. Make it into a roll; cut off pieces for cakes and work them well with your hands. This quantity will make above six dozen of the size of those sold at Shrewsbury. They require great care in baking; a short time is sufficient, and the oven must not be very hot.

Sugar Cakes.

Take half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, two ounces of flour, two eggs, but the white of one only, a little beaten mace, and a little brandy. Mix all together into a paste with your hands; make it into little cakes, and bake them on tins. You may put in six ounces of currants, if you like.

Little Sugar Cakes.

Take double-refined sugar and sift it very fine; beat the white of an egg to a froth; take gum-dragon that has been steeped in juice of lemon or orange-flower water, and some ambergris finely beaten with the sugar. Mix all these together in a mortar, and beat it till it is very white; then roll it into small knobs, or make it into small loaves. Lay them on paper well sugared, and set them into a very gentle oven.

Thousand Cake.

One pound of flour, half a pound of butter, six ounces of sugar, five eggs, leaving out three whites; rub the flour, butter, and sugar, well together; pour the eggs into it; work it up well; roll it out thin, and cut them with a glass of what size you please.

Tunbridge Cakes.

One pound and a half of flour, one pound of butter; rub the butter into the flour; strew in a few caraways, and add the yolks of two eggs, first beaten, and as much water as will make it into a paste: roll it out thin, and prick it with a jagging iron; run the cakes into what shape you please, or cut them with a glass. Just as you put them into the oven, sift sugar on them, and a very little when they come out. The oven must be as hot as for manchets. Bake them on paper.

Cheesecake. No. 1.

Take four quarts of new milk and a pint of cream; put in a blade or two of mace, with a bag of ambergris; set it with as much runnet as will bring it to a tender curd. When it has come, break it as you would a cheese, and, when you have got what whey you can from it, put it in a cloth and lay it in a pan or cheese-hoop, placing on it a weight of five or six pounds, and, when you find it well pressed out, put it into an earthen dish, bruising it very small with a spoon. Then take two ounces of almonds, blanch and beat them with rose-water and cream; mix these well together among your curd; sweeten them with loaf-sugar; put in something more than a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, with the yolks of six eggs mixed together. When you are ready to put it into crust, strew in half a pound of currants; let the butter boil that you make your crust with; roll out the cakes very thin. The oven must not be too hot, and great care must be taken in the baking. When they rise up to the top they are sufficiently done.

Cheesecake. No. 2.

Blanch half a pound of the best sweet almonds, and beat them very fine. Add two spoonfuls of orange-flower or rose-water, half a pound of currants, half a pound of the finest sugar, beaten and sifted, and two quarts of thick cream, which must be kept stirred over a gentle fire. When almost cold, add eight eggs, leaving out half the whites, well beaten and strained, a little beaten mace and finely powdered cinnamon, with four well pounded cloves. Mix them well into the rest of the ingredients, keeping it still over the fire as before. Pour it well beaten into puff-paste for the oven, and if it be well heated they will be baked in a quarter of an hour.

Cheesecake. No. 3.

Take two quarts of milk, make it into curd with a little runnet; when it is drained as dry as possible, put to it a quarter of a pound of butter; rub both together in a marble mortar till smooth; then add one ounce of almonds blanched; beat two Naples biscuits, and about as much crumb of roll; put seven yolks of eggs, but only one white; season it with mace and a little rose-water, and sweeten to your taste.

Cheesecake. No. 4.

Break one gallon of milk with runnet, and press it dry; then beat it in a mortar very small; put in half a pound of butter, and beat the whole over again until it is as smooth as butter. Put to it six eggs, leaving out half the whites; beat them very light with sack and rose-water, half a nutmeg grated, half a quarter of a pound of almonds beaten fine with rose-water and a little brandy. Sweeten to your taste; put in what currants you like, make a rich crust, and bake in a quick oven.

Cheesecake. No. 5.

A quart of milk with eight eggs beat together; when it is come to a curd, put it into a sieve, and strain the whey out. Beat a quarter of a pound of butter with the curd in a mortar, with three eggs and three spoonfuls of sugar; pound it together very light; add half a nutmeg and a very little salt.

Cheesecake. No. 6.

Take a pint of milk, four eggs well beaten, three ounces of butter, half a pound of sugar, the peel of a lemon grated; put all together into a kettle, and set it over a clear fire; keep stirring it till it begins to boil; then mix one spoonful of flour with as much milk as will just mix it, and put it into the kettle with the rest. When it begins to boil, take it off the fire, and put it into an earthen pan; let it stand till the next morning; then add a quarter of a pound of currants, a little nutmeg, and half a glass of brandy.

Almond Cheesecake.

Blanch six ounces of sweet and half an ounce of bitter almonds; let them lie half an hour on a stove or before the fire; pound them very fine with two table-spoonfuls of rose or orange-flower water; put in the stewpan half a pound of fresh butter, add to this the almonds, six ounces of sifted loaf-sugar, a little grated lemon-peel, some good cream, and the yolks of four eggs; rub all well together with the pestle; cover the pattypans with puff paste, fill them with the mixture, and bake it half an hour in a brisk oven.

Orange Cheesecake.

Take the peel of one orange and a half and one lemon grated; squeeze out the juice; add a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of melted butter, four eggs, leaving out the whites, a little Naples biscuit grated, to thicken it, and a little white wine. Put almonds in it if you like.

Scotch Cheesecake.

Put one ounce of butter into a saucepan to clarify; add one ounce of powder sugar and two eggs; stir it over a slow fire until it almost boils, but not quite. Line your pattypans with paste; bake the cakes of a nice brown, and serve them up between hot and cold.

THE COOK AND HOUSEKEEPER’S COMPLETE AND UNIVERSAL DICTIONARY; INCLUDING A SYSTEM OF MODERN COOKERY, IN ALL ITS VARIOUS BRANCHES, ADAPTED TO THE USE OF PRIVATE FAMILIES: ALSO A VARIETY OF ORIGINAL AND VALUABLE INFORMATION. BY Mrs. MARY EATON. (1823)

CAKES. (advice)

In making and baking cakes the following particulars should be attended to. The currants should be nicely picked and washed, dried in a cloth, and set before the fire. If damp, they will make cakes or puddings heavy. Before they are added, a dust of dry flour should be scattered among them, and then shaken together, which will make the cake or pudding lighter. Eggs should be beaten a long time, whites and yolks apart, and always strained.

Sugar should be rubbed to a powder on a clean board, and sifted through a fine hair or lawn sieve. Lemon peel requires to be pared very thin, and with a little sugar beaten to a paste in a marble mortar. It should then be mixed with a little wine or cream, so as to divide easily among the other ingredients. After all the articles are put into the pan, they should be long and thoroughly beaten, as the lightness of the cake depends much on their being well incorporated. Both black and white plumb cakes, being made with yeast, require less butter and eggs, and eat equally light and rich. If the leaven be only of flour, milk and water, and yeast, it becomes more tough, and is less easily divided, than if the butter be first put with those ingredients, and the dough afterwards set to rise by the fire.

The heat of the oven is of great importance for cakes, especially large ones. If not pretty quick, the batter will not rise; and if too quick, put some white paper over the cake to prevent its being burnt. If not long enough lighted to have a body of heat, or it is become slack, the cake will be heavy. To know when it is soaked, take a broad-bladed knife that is very bright, and thrust it into the centre; draw it out instantly, and if the paste in any degree adheres, return the cake to the oven, and close it up. If the heat is sufficient to raise but not to soak the baking, a little fresh fuel should be introduced, after taking out the cakes and keeping them hot, and then returning them to the oven as quickly as possible. Particular care however should be taken to prevent this inconvenience, when large cakes are to be baked.

CAKE TRIFLE.

Bake a rice cake in a mould; and when cold, cut it round with a sharp knife, about two inches from the edge, taking care not to perforate the bottom. Put in a thick custard, and some spoonfuls of raspberry jam; and then put on a high whip.

AMERICAN CAKES

though but little known in this country, form an article of some importance in domestic economy: they are cheap, easily made, and very nutritious. Mix a quarter of a pound of butter with a pound of flour; then, having dissolved and well stirred a quarter of a pound of sugar in half a pint of milk, and made a solution of about half a tea-spoonful of crystal of soda, salt of tartar, or any other purified potash, in half a tea-cupful of cold water, pour them also among the flour; work up the paste to a good consistence, roll it out, and form it into cakes or biscuits. The lightness of these cakes depending much on the expedition with which they are baked, they should be set in a brisk oven.

BRIDE CAKE.

Mix together a pound of dried flour, two drams of powdered mace, and a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar. Add a quarter of a pint of cream, and half a pound of melted butter; a quarter of a pint of yeast, five eggs, with half of the whites beaten up with the yolks, and a gill of rose water. Having warmed the butter and cream, mix them together, and set the whole to rise before the fire. Pick and clean half a pound of currants, put them in warm and well dried.

COFFEE CAKES.

Melt some fresh butter in a pint of thin cream, and work up with it four pounds of dried flour. Add a pound of sugar, a pint of yeast, and half an ounce of carraways. Stir them all together, set it before the fire to rise, roll the paste out thin, cut it into small cakes, and bake them on buttered paper.

COMMON CAKE.

Mix three quarters of a pound of flour with half a pound of butter, four ounces of sugar, four eggs, half an ounce of carraways, and a glass of raisin wine. Beat it well, and bake it in a quick oven.—A better sort of common cake may be made of half a pound of butter, rubbed into two pounds of dried flour; then add three spoonfuls of yeast that is not bitter, and work it to a paste. Let it rise an hour and a half; then mix in the yolks and whites of four eggs beaten separately, a pound of Lisbon sugar, about a pint of milk to make it of a proper thickness, a glass of sweet wine, the rind of a lemon, and a tea-spoonful of powdered ginger. A pound of currants, or some carraways may be added, and let the whole be well beaten together.

FINE CAKE.

To make an excellent cake, rub two pounds of fine dry flour with one of butter, washed in plain and then in rose water. Mix with it three spoonfuls of yeast, in a little warm milk and water. Set it to rise an hour and a half before the fire, and then beat into it two pounds of currants, carefully washed and picked, and one pound of sifted sugar. Add four ounces of almonds, six ounces of stoned raisins chopped fine, half a nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and a few cloves, the peel of a lemon shred very fine, a glass of wine, one of brandy, twelve yolks and whites of eggs beat separately, with orange, citron, and lemon. Beat them up well together, butter the pan, and bake in a quick oven.—To make a still finer cake, wash two pounds and a half of fresh butter in water first, and then in rose water, and beat the butter to a cream. Beat up twenty eggs, yolks and whites, separately, half an hour each. Have ready two pounds and a half of the finest flour well dried and kept hot, likewise a pound and a half of loaf sugar pounded and sifted, an ounce of spice in very fine powder, three pounds of currants nicely cleaned and dry, half a pound of almonds blanched, and three quarters of a pound of sweetmeats cut small. Let all be kept by the fire, and mix the dry ingredients. Pour the eggs strained to the butter, mix half a glass of sweet wine with a full glass of brandy, and pour it to the butter and eggs, mixing them well together. Add the dry ingredients by degrees, and beat them together thoroughly for a great length of time. Having prepared and stoned half a pound of jar raisins, chopped as fine as possible, mix them carefully, so that there shall be no lumps, and add a tea-cupful of orange flower water. Beat the ingredients together a full hour at least. Have a hoop well buttered, or a tin or copper cake-pan; take a white paper, doubled and buttered, and put in the pan round the edge, if the cake batter fill it more than three parts, for space should be allowed for rising. Bake it in a quick oven: three hours will be requisite.

ICEING FOR CAKES.

Beat and sift half a pound of fine sugar, put it into a mortar with four spoonfuls of rose water, and the whites of two eggs beaten and strained. Whisk it well, and when the cake is almost cold, dip a feather in the iceing, and cover the cake well. Set it in the oven to harden, but suffer it not to remain to be discoloured, and then keep it in a dry place.—For a very large cake, beat up the whites of twenty fresh eggs, and reduce to powder a pound of double refined sugar, sifted through a lawn sieve. Mix these well in a deep earthen pan, add orange flower water, barely sufficient to give it a flavour, and a piece of fresh lemon peel. Whisk it for three hours till the mixture is thick and white, then with a thin broad piece of board spread it all over the top and sides, and set it in a cool oven, and an hour will harden it.

LEMON CHEESECAKES.

Mix four ounces of fine sifted sugar and four ounces of butter, and melt it gently. Then add the yolks of two and the white of one egg, the rind of three lemons shred fine, and the juice of one and a half; also one savoy biscuit, some blanched almonds pounded, and three spoonfuls of brandy. Mix them well together, and put in the following paste. Eight ounces of flour, six ounces of butter, two thirds of which must first be mixed with the flour; then wet it with six spoonfuls of water, and roll in the remainder.—Another way. Boil two large lemons, or three small ones, and after squeezing, pound them well together in a mortar, with four ounces of loaf sugar, the yolks of six eggs, and eight ounces of fresh butter. Fill the pattipans half full. Orange cheesecakes are done in the same way, only the peel must be boiled in two or three waters to take out the bitterness: or make them of orange marmalade well beaten in a mortar.

LEMON CAKE.

Beat up the whites of ten eggs, with three spoonfuls of orange flower water; put in a pound of sifted sugar, and the rind of a lemon grated. When it is well mixed, add the juice of half a lemon, and the yolks of ten eggs beaten smooth. Stir in three quarters of a pound of flour, put the cake into a buttered pan, and bake it an hour carefully.

LIGHT CAKE.

Mix a pound of flour, half a pound of currants, and a little nutmeg, sugar, and salt. Melt a quarter of a pound of butter in a quarter of a pint of milk, and strain into it two spoonfuls of yeast and two eggs. Stir it well together, set it before the fire to rise, and bake it in a quick oven.

ORANGE CHEESECAKES.

Blanch half a pound of almonds, beat them very fine, with orange-flower water, half a pound of fine sugar beaten and sifted, a pound of butter that has been melted carefully without oiling, and which must be nearly cold before it is used. Then beat the yolks of ten and the whites of four eggs. Pound in a mortar two candied oranges, and a fresh one with the bitterness boiled out, till they are as tender as marmalade, without any lumps. Beat the whole together, and put it into pattipans.

PLUM CAKE.

This is such a favourite article in most families, and is made in so many different ways, that it will be necessary to give a variety of receipts, in order that a selection may be made agreeably to the taste of the reader, or the quality of the article to be preferred.—For a good common plum cake, mix five ounces of butter in three pounds of fine dry flour, and five ounces of the best moist sugar. Add six ounces of currants, washed and dried, and some pimento finely powdered. Put three spoonfuls of yeast into a pint of new milk warmed, and mix it with the above into a light dough.—A cake of a better sort.

Mix thoroughly a quarter of a peck of fine flour well dried, with a pound of dry and sifted loaf sugar, three pounds of currants washed and very dry, half a pound of raisins stoned and chopped, a quarter of an ounce of mace and cloves, twenty peppercorns, a grated nutmeg, the peel of a lemon cut as fine as possible, and half a pound of almonds blanched and beaten with orange-flower water. Melt two pounds of butter in a pint and a quarter of cream, but not too hot; add a pint of sweet wine, a glass of brandy, the whites and yolks of twelve eggs beaten apart, and half a pint of good yeast.

Strain this liquid by degrees into the dry ingredients, beating them together a full hour; then butter the hoop or pan, and bake it. When the batter is put into the pan, throw in plenty of citron, lemon, and orange candy. If the cake is to be iced, take half a pound of double refined sugar sifted, and put a little with the white of an egg; beat it well, and by degrees pour in the remainder. It must be whisked nearly an hour, with the addition of a little orange-flower water, but not too much. When the cake is done, pour the iceing over it, and return it to the oven for fifteen minutes.

But if the oven be quite warm, keep it near the mouth, and the door open, lest the colour be spoiled.—Another. Dried flour, currants washed and picked, four pounds; sugar pounded and sifted, a pound and a half; six orange, lemon, and citron peels, cut in slices. These are to be mixed together. Beat ten eggs, yolks and whites separately. Melt a pound and a half of butter in a pint of cream; when cold, put to it half a pint of yeast, near half a pint of sweet wine, and the eggs.

Then strain the liquid to the dry ingredients, beat them well, and add of cloves, mace, cinnamon, and nutmeg, half an ounce each. Butter the pan, and put it into a quick oven. Three hours will bake it.—Another. Mix with a pound of well-dried flour, a pound of loaf sugar, and the eighth of an ounce of mace, well beaten. Beat up five eggs with half the whites, a gill of rose water, and a quarter of a pint of yeast, and strain them. Melt half a pound of butter in a quarter of a pint of cream, and when cool, mix all together. Beat up the batter with a light hand, and set it to rise half an hour.

Before it is put into the oven, mix in a pound and a half of currants, well washed and dried, and bake it an hour and a quarter.—For a rich cake, take three pounds of well-dried flour, three pounds of fresh butter, a pound and a half of fine sugar dried and sifted, five pounds of currants carefully cleaned and dried, twenty-four eggs, three grated nutmegs, a little pounded mace and cloves, half a pound of almonds, a glass of sack, and a pound of citron or orange peel.

Pound the almonds in rose water, work up the butter to a thin cream, put in the sugar, and work it well; then the yolks of the eggs, the spices, the almonds, and orange peel. Beat the whites of the eggs to a froth, and put them into the batter as it rises. Keep working it with the hand till the oven is ready, and the scorching subsided; put it into a hoop, but not full, and two hours will bake it. The almonds should be blanched in cold water. This will make a large rich plum cake.—A small common cake may be made of a pound of dough, a quarter of a pound of butter, two eggs, a quarter of a pound of lump sugar, a quarter of a pound of currants, and a little nutmeg.—Another. Take a pound and a half of fine white dough, roll into it a pound of butter, as for pie crust, and set it by the fire. Beat up the yolks of four eggs, with half a pound of fine powdered sugar; pour it upon the mass, and work it well by the fire. Add half a pound of currants, well picked and washed, and send it to the oven.

Half the quantity of sugar, eggs, and butter, will make a very pleasant cake.—Another. A pound and a half of well-dried flour, a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, and a pound of currants, picked and washed. Beat up eight eggs, warm the butter, mix all together, and beat it up for an hour.—For little plum cakes, intended to keep for some time, dry a pound of fine flour, and mix it with six ounces of finely pounded sugar. Beat six ounces of butter to a cream, and add to three eggs well beaten, half a pound of currants nicely washed and dried, together with the sugar and flour. Beat all for some time, then dredge some flour on tin plates, and drop the batter on them the size of a walnut.

If properly mixed, it will be a stiff paste. Bake in a brisk oven. To make a rich plum cake, take four pounds of flour well dried, mix with it a pound and a half of fine sugar powdered, a grated nutmeg, and an ounce of mace pounded fine. When they are well mixed, make a hole in the middle, and pour in fifteen eggs, but seven whites, well beaten, with a pint of good yeast, half a quarter of a pint of orange-flower water, and the same quantity of sack, or any other rich sweet wine. Then melt two pounds and a half of butter in a pint and a half of cream; and when it is about the warmth of new milk, pour it into the middle of the batter. Throw a little of the flour over the liquids, but do not mix the whole together till it is ready to go into the oven. Let it stand before the fire an hour to rise, laying a cloth over it; then have ready six pounds of currants well washed, picked, and dried; a pound of citron and a pound of orange peel sliced, with a pound of blanched almonds, half cut in slices lengthways, and half finely pounded. Mix all well together, butter the tin well, and bake it two hours and a half.

This will make a large cake.—Another, not quite so rich. Three pounds of flour well dried, half a pound of sugar, and half an ounce of spice, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, well pounded. Add ten eggs, but only half the whites, beaten with a pint of good yeast. Melt a pound of butter in a pint of cream, add it to the yeast, and let it stand an hour to rise before the fire.

Then add three pounds of currants well washed, picked and dried. Butter the tin, and bake it an hour.—A common plum cake is made of three pounds and a half of flour, half a pound of sugar, a grated nutmeg, eight eggs, a glass of brandy, half a pint of yeast, a pound of butter melted in a pint and half of milk, put lukewarm to the other ingredients. Let it rise an hour before the fire, then mix it well together, add two pounds of currants carefully cleaned, butter the tin, and bake it.

PORTUGAL CAKES.

Take a pound of well-dried flour, a pound of loaf sugar, a pound of butter well washed in orange-flower water, and a large blade of mace. Take half the flour, and fifteen eggs, leaving out two of the whites, and work them well together with the butter for half an hour, shaking in the rest of the flour with a dredger. Put the cakes into a cool oven, strewing over them a little sugar and flour, and let them bake gently half an hour.

POTATOE CHEESECAKES.

Boil six ounces of potatoes, and four ounces of lemon peel; beat the latter in a marble mortar, with four ounces of sugar. Then add the potatoes, beaten, and four ounces of butter melted in a little cream. When well mixed, let it stand to grow cold. Put crust in pattipans, and rather more than half fill them. This quantity will make a dozen cheesecakes, which are to be baked half an hour in a quick oven, with some fine powdered sugar sifted over them.

POUND CAKE.

Beat a pound of butter to a cream, and mix with it the whites and yolks of eight eggs beaten apart. Have ready warm by the fire, a pound of flour, and the same of sifted sugar. Mix them and a few cloves, a little nutmeg and cinnamon, in fine powder together; then by degrees work the dry ingredients into the butter and eggs. It must be well beaten for a full hour, adding a glass of wine, and some carraway seeds. Butter a pan, and bake it a full hour in a quick oven. The above proportions, leaving out four ounces of the butter, and the same of sugar, make a less luscious cake, but a very pleasant one.

RATIFIA CAKES.

Blanch and beat fine in a mortar, four ounces of bitter almonds, and two ounces of sweet almonds. Prepare a pound and a half of loaf sugar, pounded and sifted; beat up the whites of four eggs to a froth, and add the sugar to it a little at a time, till it becomes of the stiffness of dough. Stir and beat it well together, and put in the almonds. Drop the paste on paper or tins, and bake it in a slow oven. Try one of the cakes, and if it rises out of shape, the oven is too hot. The cakes must not be handled in making, but a spoon or a knife must be used.

RICE CAKE.

Mix ten ounces of ground rice, three ounces of flour, and eight ounces of pounded sugar. Sift the composition by degrees into eight yolks and six whites of eggs, and the peel of a lemon shred so fine that it is quite mashed. Mix the whole well in a tin stewpan with a whisk, over a very slow fire. Put it immediately into the oven in the same, and bake it forty minutes.—Another. Beat twelve yolks and six whites of eggs, with the peels of two lemons grated. Mix one pound of rice flour, eight ounces of fine flour, and a pound of sugar pounded and sifted. Beat it well with the eggs by degrees, for an hour, with a wooden spoon. Butter a pan well, and put it in at the oven mouth. A gentle oven will bake it in an hour and a half.

RICE CHEESECAKES.

Boil four ounces of ground rice in milk, with a blade of cinnamon: put it into a pot, and let it stand till the next day. Mash it fine with half a pound of butter; add to it four eggs, half a pint of cream, a grated nutmeg, a glass of brandy, and a little sugar. Or the butter may be stirred and melted in the rice while it is hot, and left in the pot till the next day.

SAVOY CAKE.

Put four eggs into a scale, and then take their weight in fine sugar, powdered and sifted, with the weight of seven eggs in flour well dried. Break the eggs, putting the yolks into one basin, and the whites into another. Mix with the yolks the sugar that has been weighed, a little grated lemon peel, and a little orange-flower water. Beat them well together for half an hour, then add the whites whipped to a froth, and mix in the flour by degrees, continuing to beat them all the time. Then put the batter into a tin well buttered, and bake it an hour and a half. This is a very delicate light cake for serving at table, or in a dessert, and is pretty when baked in a melon mould, or any other kind of shape. It may be iced at pleasure.

The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined By John Mollard, Cook, [1802]

Savoy Cake.

Beat well together the yolks of eight eggs and a pound of sifted sugar, and whisk the whites till of a solid froth; then take six ounces of flour and a little sifted cinnamon, and mix all the ingredients lightly together; after which rub a mould with fresh butter, fill it three parts full with the mixture, and bake it in a slack heated oven.

Small Cakes.

Take half a pound of sifted sugar, half a pound of fresh butter, three quarters of a pound of sifted flour, and rub all together; then wet it with a gill of boiling milk, strew in a few carraway seeds, and let it lay till the next day; after which mould and cut it into eleven dozen pieces, roll them as thin as possible, and bake them in an oven three parts cold.

Diet Bread Cake.

Take nine eggs and sifted sugar of their weight; break the whites into one pan and the yolks into another; then whisk the whites till of a solid froth, beat the yolks, and whisk them with the whites; add the sugar with the weight of five eggs of flour, mix all well together, put in a few carraway seeds, and bake it in a hoop.

Sponge Biscuits.

Take the same mixture as for diet bread, only omitting the carraway seeds; then rub the inside of small tin pans with fresh butter, fill them with the mixture, sift sugar over, and bake them in a moderate oven.

Common Seed Cake.

To one pound and a half of flour put half a pound of fresh butter broke into small pieces round it, likewise a quarter of a pound of sifted sugar, and half a grated nutmeg; then make a cavity in the center of the flour and set a sponge with a gill of yest and a little warm milk; when well risen add slices of candied orange or lemon peel and an egg beat up. Mix all these ingredients well together with a little warm milk, let the dough be of a proper stiffness, mould it into a cake, prove it in a warm place, and then bake it.

Cinnamon Cakes.

Break six eggs into a pan with three table spoonfuls of rose water, whisk them well together, add a pound of sifted sugar, a dessert spoonful of pounded cinnamon, and as much flour as will make it into a good paste; then roll it out, cut it into what shapes you please, bake them on white paper, and when done take them off, and preserve them in a dry place for use.

To make red Colouring for Pippin Paste, &c. for garnishing Twelfth Cakes.

Take an ounce of cochineal beat very fine; add three gills of water, a quarter of an ounce of roche-alum, and two ounces of lump sugar; boil them together for twenty minutes, strain it through a fine sieve, and preserve it for use close covered.

Twelfth Cakes.

Take seven pounds of flour, make a cavity in the center, set a sponge with a gill and a half of yest and a little warm milk; then put round it one pound of fresh butter broke into small lumps, one pound and a quarter of sifted sugar, four pounds and a half of currants washed and picked, half an ounce of sifted cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of pounded cloves, mace, and nutmeg mixed, sliced candied orange or lemon peel and citron.

When the sponge is risen mix all the ingredients together with a little warm milk; let the hoops be well papered and buttered, then fill them with the mixture and bake them, and when nearly cold ice them over with sugar prepared for that purpose as per receipt; or they may be plain.

Bristol Cakes.

Take six ounces of sifted sugar, six ounces of fresh butter, four whites and two yolks of eggs, nine ounces of flour, and mix them well together in an earthen pan with the hand; then add three quarters of a pound of picked currants, and drop the mixture with a spoon upon tin plates rubbed with butter, and bake them in a brisk oven.

Hyde Park Corner Cakes.

Take two pounds of flour, four ounces of common sugar, and half an ounce of carraway seeds pounded; then set a sponge with half a gill of yest and some warm milk, and when it works take some boiling milk, add to it five ounces of fresh butter, mix it up light, add let it lay some time; then roll it out, cut it into what forms you please, and bake them in a moderate oven.

Bride Cake.

Take two pounds of sifted loaf sugar, four pounds of fresh butter, four pounds of best white flour dried and sifted, a quarter of an ounce of mace and cinnamon, likewise the same quantity of nutmeg pounded and sifted, thirty eggs, four pounds of currants washed, picked, and dried before a fire, a pound of jordan almonds blanched and pounded, a pound of citron, a pound of candied orange and a pound of candied lemon peels cut into slices, and half a pint of brandy; then proceed as follows:—

First work the butter to a cream with the hand, then beat in the sugar for a quarter of an hour, whisk the whites of eggs to a solid froth, and mix them with the sugar and butter; then beat the yolks for a quarter of an hour and put them to the above, likewise add the flour, mace, and nutmeg; beat all well together till the oven is ready, and then mix in lightly the brandy, currants, almonds, and sweetmeats.

Line a hoop with paper, rub it with butter, fill it with the mixture, bake it in a brisk oven, and when it is risen cover it with paper to prevent it from burning. It may be served up either iced or plain.

Rice Cakes.

Whisk the yolks of seven eggs for a quarter of an hour, add five ounces of sifted sugar, and mix them well; put to them a quarter of a pound of rice, some flour, a little brandy, the rind of a lemon grated very fine, and a small quantity of pounded mace; then beat six whites of eggs for some time, mix all together for ten minutes, fill a hoop with the mixture, and bake it in a brisk oven.

Bath Cakes.

Take a pound of fresh butter and rub with it a pound of flour, mix them into a light paste with a gill of yest and some warm cream, and set it in a warm place to rise; then mould in with it a few carraway seeds, make it into cakes the size of small french rolls, and bake them on tins buttered.

Shrewsbury Cakes.

Beat half a pound of fresh butter to a cream, add to it the same quantity of flour, one egg, six ounces of sifted sugar, and a quarter of an ounce of carraway seeds. Mix all together into a paste, roll it out thin, stamp it with a tin cutter, prick the cakes with a fork, lay them on tin plates rubbed with butter, and bake them in a slow oven.

Portugal Cakes, or Heart Cakes.

Take a pound of flour, a pound of sifted sugar, a pound of fresh butter, and mix them with the hand (or a whisk) till they become like a fine batter. Then add two spoonfuls of rose water, half a pound of currants washed and picked, break ten eggs, whisk them, and mix well all together. Butter ten moulds, fill them three parts full with the mixture, and bake them in a brisk oven.

Pound Cake.

Take a pound of sifted sugar, a pound of fresh butter, and mix them with the hand for ten minutes; then put to them nine yolks and five whites of eggs beaten, whisk them well, and add a pound of sifted flour, a few carraway seeds, a quarter of a pound of candied orange peel cut into slices, a few currants washed and picked, and mix all together as light as possible.

Yest Cake.

Take one pound of flour, two pounds of currants washed and picked, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a quarter of a pound of lisbon sugar, a quarter of a pound of citron and candied orange peel cut into slices, cinnamon and mace a small quantity of each pounded and sifted.

Make a cavity in the center of the ingredients, add a gill of sweet wine, a little warm milk, a teacupful of yest, and let it stand till the yest works; then put a little more warm milk, mix all together, fill a hoop with it, and let it remain till risen, and bake it.

Rich Plum Cake.

Take one pound of sifted sugar, one pound of fresh butter, and mix them with the hand in a earthen dish for a quarter of an hour.

Then beat well ten yolks and five whites of eggs, put two thirds of them to the sugar and butter, and mix them together till it begins to be tough; after which add one pound and a half of currants washed and picked, a quarter of a pound of citron, a quarter of a pound of candied orange or lemon peel cut into slices, a quarter of a pound of jordan almonds blanched and bruised very fine.

Then pound a quarter of a pound of muscadine raisins, put to them a gill of sweet wine and a spoonful of brandy, strain the liquor through a cloth to the mixture, add the rest of the eggs, and mix all together as light as possible.

Georgian Cake Recipes from English Housewifry by Elizabeth Moxon [1764]

To make a GREAT CAKE.

Take five pounds of fine flour, (let it be dried very well before the fire) and six pounds of currans well dress’d and rub’d in cloths after they are wash’d, set them in a sieve before the fire; you must weigh your currans after they are cleaned, then take three quarters of an ounce of mace, two large nutmegs beaten and mix’d amongst the flour, and pound of powder sugar, and pound of citron, and a pound of candid orange, (cut your citron and orange in pretty large pieces) and a pound of almonds cut in three or four pieces long way; then take sixteen eggs, leaving out half of the whites, beat your sugar and eggs for half an hour with a little salt; take three jills of cream, and three pounds and a half of butter, melt your butter with part of the cream for fear it should be too hot, put in between a jack and a jill of good brandy, a quart of light yeast, and the rest of the cream, mix all your liquors together about blood-warm, make a hole in the middle of your flour, and put in the liquids, cover it half an hour and let it stand to rise, then put in your currans and mix all together; butter your hoop, tie a paper three fold, and put it at the bottom in your hoop; just when they are ready to set in the oven, put the cake into your hoop at three times; when you have laid a little paste at the bottom, lay in part of your sweet-meats and almonds, then put in a little paste over them again, and the rest of your sweet-meats and almonds, and set it in a quick oven; two hours will bake it.

To make ICEING for this CAKE.

Take two pounds of double-refined sugar, beat it, and sift it through a fine sieve; put to it a spoonful of fine starch, a pennyworth of gum-arabic, beat them all well together; take the whites of four or five eggs, beat them well, and put to them a spoonful of rose-water, or orange-flower water, a spoonful of the juice of lemon, beat them with the whites of your eggs, and put in a little to your sugar till you wet it, then beat them for two hours whilst your cake is baking; if you make it over thin it will run; when you lie it on your cake you must lie it on with a knife; if you would have the iceing very thick, you must add a little more sugar; wipe off the loose currans before you put on the iceing, and put it into the oven to harden the iceing.

To make a PLUMB CAKE.

Take five pounds of flour dried and cold, mix to it an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of nutmegs, half a quarter of an ounce of lemon-peel grated, and a pound of fine sugar; take fifteen eggs, leaving out seven of the whites, beat your eggs with half a jill of brandy or sack, a little orange-flower water, or rose water; then put to your eggs near a quart of light yeast, set it on the fire with a quart of cream, and three pounds of butter, let your butter melt in the cream, so let it stand till new milk warm, then skim off all the butter and most of the milk, and mix it to your eggs and yeast; make a hole in the middle of your flour, and put in your yeast, strinkle at the tip a little flour, then mix to it a little salt, six pounds of currans well wash’d clean’d, dry’d, pick’d, and plump’d by the fire, a pound of the best raisins stoned, and beat them altogether whilst they leave the bowl; put in a pound of candid orange, and half a pound of citron cut in long pieces; then butter the garth and fill it full; bake it in a quick oven, against it be enough have an iceing ready.

To make a CARRAWAY CAKE.

Take eighteen eggs, leave out half of the whites, and beat them; take two pounds of butter, wash the butter clear from milk and salt, put to it a little rose-water, and wash your butter very well with your hands till it take up all the eggs, then mix them in half a jack of brandy and sack; grate into your eggs a lemon rind; put in by degrees (a spoonful at a time) two pounds of fine flour, a pound and a half of loaf sugar, that is sifted and dry; when you have mixed them very well with your hands, take a thible and beat it very well for half an hour, till it look very white, then mix to it a few seeds, six ounces of carraway comfits, and half a pound of citron and candid orange; then beat it well, butter your garth, and put it in a quick oven.

To make CAKES to keep all the Year.

Have in readiness a pound and four ounces of flour well dried, take a pound of butter unsalted, work it with a pound of white sugar till it cream, three spoonfuls of sack [sherry], and the rind of an orange, boil it till it is not bitter, and beat it with sugar, work these together, then clean your hands, and grate a nutmeg into your flour, put in three eggs and two whites, mix them well, then with a paste-pin or thible stir in your flour to the butter, make them up into little cakes, wet the top with sack and strow on fine sugar; bake them on buttered papers, well floured, but not too much; you may add a pound of currants washed and warmed.

To make SHREWSBERRY CAKES.

Take two pounds of fine flour, put to it a pound and a quarter of butter (rub them very well) a pound and a quarter of fine sugar sifted, grate in a nutmeg, beat in three whites of eggs and two yolks, with a little rose-water, and so knead your paste with it, let it lay an hour, then make it up into cakes, prick them and lay them on papers, wet them with a feather dipt in rose-water, and grate over them a little fine sugar; bake them in a slow oven, either on tins or paper.

To make a fine CAKE.

Take five pounds of fine flour dried, and keep it warm; four pounds of loaf sugar pounded, sifted and warmed; five pounds of currans well cleaned and warmed before the fire; a pound and a half of almonds blanch’d beat, dried, slit and kept warm; five pounds of good butter well wash’d and beat from the water; then work it an hour and a half till it comes to a fine cream; put to the butter all the sugar, work it up, and then the flour, put in a pint of brandy, then all the whites and yolks of the eggs, mix all the currans and almonds with the rest. There must be four pounds of eggs in weight in the shells, the yolks and the whites beat and separated, the whites beat to a froth; you must not cease beating till they are beat to a curd, to prevent oiling; to the quantity of a cake put a pound and a half of orange-peel and citron shred, without plumbs, and half a pound of carraway seeds, it will require four hours baking, and the oven must be as hot as for bread, but let it be well slaked when it has remained an hour in the oven, and stop it close; you may ice it if you please.

To make a SEED CAKE.

Take one quartern of fine flour well dried before the fire, when it is cold rub in a pound of butter; take three quarters of a pound of carraway comfits, six spoonfuls of new yeast, six spoonfuls of cream, the yolks of six eggs and two whites, and a little sack; mix all of these together in a very light paste, set it before the fire till it rise, and so bake it in a tin.

To make an ordinary PLUMB CAKE.

Take a pound of flour well dried before the fire, a pound of currants, two penny-worth of mace and cloves, two eggs, four spoonfuls of good new yeast, half a pound of butter, half a pint of cream, melt the butter, warm the cream, and mix altogether in a very light paste, butter your tin before you put it in; an hour will bake it.

To make an ANGELICA CAKE.

Take the stalks of angelica boil and green them very well, put to every pound of pulp a pound of loaf sugar beaten very well, and when you think it is beaten enough, lay them in what fashion you please on glasses, and as they candy turn them.

To make KING CAKES.

Take a pound of flour, three quarters of a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar and half a pound of currants, well cleaned; rub your butter well into your flour, and put in as many yolks of eggs as will lithe them, then put in your sugar, currants, and some mace, shred in as much as will give them a taste, so make them up in little round cakes, and butter the papers you lie them on.

To make QUEEN CAKES.

Take a pound of London flour dry’d well before the fire, nine eggs, a pound of loaf sugar beaten and sifted, put one half to your eggs and the other to your butter; take a pound of butter and melt it without water put it into a stone bowl, when it is almost cold put in your sugar and a spoonful or two of rose water, beat it very quick, for half an hour, till it be as white as cream; beat the eggs and sugar as long and very quick, whilst they be white; when they are well beat mix them all together; then take half a pound of currans cleaned well, and a little shred of mace, so you may fill one part of your tins before you put in your currans; you may put a quarter of a pound of almonds shred (if you please) into them that is without currans; you may ice them if you please, but do not let the iceing be thicker than you may lie on with a little brush.

To make a BISKET CAKE.

Take a pound of London flour dry’d before the fire, a pound of loaf sugar beaten and sifted, beat nine eggs and a spoonful or two of rose water with the sugar for two hours, then put them to your flour and mix them well together; put in an ounce of carraway seeds, then put it into your tin and bake it an hour and a half in a pretty quick oven.

BATH CAKES.

Take two pounds of flour, a pound of sugar, and a pound of butter; wash the butter in orange-flower water, and dry the flour; rub the butter into the flour as for puff-paste, beat three eggs fine in three spoonfuls of cream, and a little mace and salt, mix these well together with your hand, and make them into little cakes; rub them over with white of egg, and grate sugar upon them; a quarter of an hour will bake them in a slow oven.

A Rich White PLUMB-CAKE.

Take four pounds of flour dry’d, two pounds of butter, one pound and a half of double refin’d sugar beat and searc’d, beat the butter to cream, then put in the sugar and beat it well together; sixteen eggs leaving out four yolks; a pint of new yeast; five jills of good cream, and one ounce of mace shred; beat the eggs well and mix them with the butter and sugar; put the mace in the flour; warm the cream, mix it with the yeast, and run it thro’ a hair sieve, mix all these into a paste; then add one pound of almonds blanch’d and cut small, and six pounds of currants well wash’d, pick’d and dry’d; when the oven is ready, stir in the currants, with one pound of citron, lemon or orange; then butter the hoop and put it in.

This cake will require two hours and a half baking in a quick oven.

An ISING for the CAKE.

One pound and a half of double-refin’d sugar, beat and searc’d; the whites of four eggs, the bigness of a walnut of gum-dragon, steep’d in rose or orange-flower water; two ounces of starch, beat fine with a little powder-blue (which adds to the whiteness) while the cake is baking beat the ising and lie it on with a knife as soon as the cake is brought from the oven.

Stuart Era Cake Recipes from The Accomplisht Cook, or The Art & Mystery of Cookery by Robert May [1685]

To make Almond-Cakes.

Take a pound of almonds, blanch them and beat them very small in a little rose-water where some musk hath been steeped, put a pound of sugar to them fine beaten, and four yolks of eggs, but first beat the sugar and the eggs well together, then put them to the almonds and rose-water, and lay the cakes on wafers by half spoonfuls, set them into an oven after manchet is baked.

To make Almond-Cakes otherways.

Take a pound of the best Jordan almonds, blanch them in cold water as you do marchpane, being blanched wipe them dry in a clean cloth, & cut away all the rotten from them, then pound them in a stone-motar, & sometimes in the beating put in a spoonful of rose-water wherein you must steep some musk; when they are beaten small mix the almonds with a pound of refined sugar beaten and searsed; then put the stuff on a chafing-dish of coals in a made dish, keep it stirring, and beat the whites of seven eggs all to froth, put it into the stuff and mix it very well together, drop it on a white paper, put it on plates, and bake them in an oven; but they must not be coloured.

To make white Ambergriese [coconut] Cakes.

Take the purest refined sugar that can be got, beat it and searse it; then have six new laid eggs, and beat them into a froth, take the froth as it riseth, and drop it into the sugar by little and little, grinding it still round in a marble mortar and pestle, till it be throughly moistened, and wrought thin enough to drop on plates; then put in some ambergriese, a little civet, and some anniseeds well picked, then take your pie plates, wipe them, butter them, and drop the stuff on them with a spoon in form of round cakes, put them into a very mild oven and when you see them be hard and rise a little, take them out and keep them for use.

To make Sugar-Cakes or Jambals.

Take two pound of flour, dry it, and season it very fine, then take a pound of loaf sugar, beat it very fine, and searse it, mingle your flour and sugar very well; then take a pound and a half of sweet butter, wash out the salt and break it into bits into the flour and sugar, then take the yolks of four new laid eggs, four or five spoonfuls of sack, and four spoonfuls of cream, beat all these together, put them into the flour, and work it up into paste, make them into what fashion you please, lay them upon papers or plates, and put them into the oven; be careful of them, for a very little thing bakes them.

To make Jemelloes.

Take a pound of fine sugar, being finely beat, and the yolks of four new laid eggs, and a grain of musk, a thimble full of caraway seed searsed, a little gum dragon steeped in rose-water, and six spoonfuls of fine flour beat all these in a thin paste a little stiffer then butter, then run it through a butter-squirt of two or three ells long bigger then a wheat straw, and let them dry upon sheets of paper a quarter of an hour, then tie them in knots or what pretty fashion you please, and when they be dry, boil them in rose-water and sugar; it is an excellent sort of banqueting.

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