Recipe Manuscript

To Make A Plumb Cake Mrs Wicksted

Name: To Make A Plumb Cake Mrs Wicksted
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT1H30M
Yield: 24
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 450g unsalted butter; 450g caster sugar (sifted); 8 large eggs; 60ml brandy; 900g currants; 50g almonds (blanched and roughly chopped); 50g candied lemon or orange peel, diced; 450g plain flour

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dessert

Original Recipe • 1720

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Make A Plumb Cake Mrs Wicksted

"Take a pound of butterr. Work it to a cream. add to it a pound of sifted sugar & eight eggs which should be beaten seperately the whites put in first, then the yolks; then add a small tea-cup full of brandy, two pounds of currants, a handful of almonds & a little candied lemon or orange peel, and last of all mix in a pound of flour."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a conversational and instructive style, with minimal punctuation and spelling variations such as 'plumb' for 'plum'. Quantities use the imperial system and rely on household measures like 'a handful' or 'small teacup'. Eggs are treated with care, suggesting a level of expertise assumed in contemporary cooks. Directions are succinct, trusting the reader’s prior knowledge to fill in details, a hallmark of manuscript cookery from this period.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of 1720 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of 1720 (1720)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1720

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back to the early 18th century and discover a delightful treasury of recipes and culinary secrets, where traditional flavors meet timeless technique—a feast for curious cooks and history lovers alike.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe, dating from around 1720, offers a glimpse into the luxurious kitchens of early 18th-century England, where fruit cakes such as 'plumb' cake were favored for festive occasions. At the time, plums often referred to raisins or currants, rather than modern plums, reflecting the linguistic quirks of the era. Recipes passed by word of mouth or penned in household books assumed a skilled cook’s familiarity with quantities and processes, making each cake a testament to the baker’s intuition.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in 1720, this cake would be made with large wooden spoons or spatulas for mixing, a sturdy ceramic or earthenware bowl, and muslin for lining the baking tin. The baking itself would typically happen in a wood-fired oven or hearth, using cast-iron bakeware and careful management of hot embers to regulate the temperature—a far cry from our modern reliable ovens.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 lb unsalted butter
1 lb caster sugar (sifted)
8 large eggs
2 fl oz brandy
2 lb currants
2 oz almonds (blanched and roughly chopped)
2 oz candied lemon or orange peel, diced
1 lb plain flour

Instructions

Start by creaming 1 pound of unsalted butter until light and fluffy.
Gradually add 1 pound of sifted caster sugar.
In a separate bowl, beat 8 large eggs—whites first, then yolks—and add them to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition.
Stir in 2 fluid ounces of brandy.
Fold in 2 pounds of currants, roughly 2 ounces of chopped almonds, and about 2 ounces of diced candied lemon or orange peel.
Finally, gently incorporate 1 pound of plain flour.
Spoon the batter into a lined cake tin and bake at 320°F for 1-1.5 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Estimated Calories

390 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It usually takes about 30 minutes to prepare the ingredients and batter, and baking takes another 1 to 1.5 hours. This recipe makes a large cake that can be cut into about 24 servings. Each serving has around 390 calories.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.