Good Holiday Cake

The Book of Household Management · Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary) · 1861
Source
The Book of Household Management
Status
success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (10)
Instructions (17)
  1. Mix the baking-powder with the flour.
  2. Rub in the butter and lard.
  3. Have ready the currants, washed, picked, and dried.
  4. Have ready the raisins stoned and cut into small pieces (not chopped).
  5. Have ready the peel cut into neat slices.
  6. Add the currants, raisins, and peel with the sugar to the flour mixture.
  7. Mix all the dry ingredients well together.
  8. Whisk the eggs.
  9. Stir the milk into the whisked eggs.
  10. Use this liquid to moisten the cake mixture.
  11. Beat the cake mixture up well so that all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
  12. Line a cake-tin with buttered paper.
  13. Put the cake mixture into the prepared tin.
  14. Bake in a good oven for 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours.
  15. To check if the cake is done, plunge a clean knife into the middle. If the knife comes out clean and not sticky, the cake is done.
  16. To prevent the top from burning, place a piece of clean paper over the cake while it is baking.
  17. A steamer can be used as a cake-tin if lined at the bottom and sides with buttered paper.
Original Text
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.
Notes
—