To Make a Plumb-Cake

Ingredients

• a peck of flower
• two quarts of good Ale-yest
• five pound of Butter
• a quarter of a pint of Rose-water
• six Nutmegs
• two pound of Sugar
• three pounds of Raisins
• twelve pounds of Currants
• one pound of Dates
• half a pound of green Citron

Method

1. 1

   Make a light paste with half the flour and ale-yeast, let it rise.

2. 2

   Melt butter with rose-water, mix with the risen paste and remaining flour.

3. 3

   Add spices, sugar, and dried fruits.

4. 4

   Bake in a hot oven, and ice with sugar and egg whites.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened (1910) by Sir Kenelm Digby, page 129. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

TO MAKE A PLUMB-CAKE Take a peck of flower, and put it In half. Then take two quarts of good Ale-yest, and strain it into half the flower, and some new milk boiled, and almost cold again ; make it into a very light paste, and set it before the fire to rise ; Then take five pound of Butter, and melt it in a skillet, with a quarter of a pint of Rose-water ; when your paste is risen, and your oven almost hot, which will be by this time, take your paste from the fire, and break it into small pieces, and take your other part of flower, and strew it round your paste ; Then take the melted Butter, and put it to the past, and by degrees work the paste and flower together, till you have mingled all very well. Take six Nutmegs,some Cinnamon and Mace well beaten, and two pound of Sugar, and strew it into the Paste, as they are a working it. Take three pounds of Raisins stoned, and twelve pounds of Currants very well washed and dryed again ; one pound of Dates sliced ; half a pound of green Cit- r

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.