Recipe Manuscript

To Make A Rich Plumb Cake

Name: To Make A Rich Plumb Cake
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT4H
Yield: 40
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2.7 kg unsalted butter, room temperature; 1.35 kg white sugar, finely ground; 800 g blanched Jordan almonds, ground (or regular blanched almonds), mixed with 30 ml orange flower water or 30 ml dry sherry (as sack substitute); 32 large eggs (use only 16 whites, discard the rest); 1.8 kg plain wheat flour, sifted and dried; 3.2 kg fresh currants, washed and dried (or substitute with sultanas/golden raisins if currants unavailable); 7 g ground mace; 7 g ground cloves; 7 g ground cinnamon; 3 whole nutmegs, grated (approx. 5 g); 5 g ground ginger; 120 ml sack (or dry sherry as substitute); 120 ml French brandy; 400 g mixed candied citrus peels: orange, lemon, citron; Butter and flour for lining pans

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Advanced 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 Rich Plumb Cake

"Take four pounds of flour well dried or sifted, seven pounds of currant's washed or rubbed, six pounds of ye best fresh butterr, Two pounds of Jordan almonds blanch'd or beaten with orange flower water or sack till ye are fine, then take four pounds of egs, put half ye whites away, three pounds of double refined sugar beaten or sifted, a quarter of an ounce of mace, ye same of cloves & cinnamon, three large nutmegs beaton fine, a little ginger half a pint of sack, half a pint of right french brandy sweet meats to your likeing, they must be orange Lemon & citron, work your butterr to a cream with your hands before any of your ingredients are in, then put in your sugar or mix it well together, work in your almonds first then put in your egs beat them altogether till they look white or thick, then put in your sack brandy or spices shake your flouer in by degrees, & when your oven is ready put in your currants or sweet meats as you put it in your hoop, it will take four hours bakeing in a quick oven, you must keep it beating with your hand all while you are mixing of it, or when your currants are well washed or clean'd let ym be kept before ye fire so that ye may go warm into your cake, this quantity will bake best in two hoops."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe, like many from the early 1700s, was written for experienced cooks rather than novices, assuming working knowledge of kitchen processes. Quantities use pounds and pints, reflecting bulk preparation for large households. Spellings are idiosyncratic ('flouer' for 'flour', 'sack' for a sweet wine). Instructions are continuous, with little punctuation, and based on muscle memory—'work your butter to a cream', 'beat them altogether till they look white'. The narrative style means you must intuit the sequence and balance of mixing, as well as baking times and temperatures. Reading such recipes requires translating not only ingredients, but also the implicit skills and rhythms of the historical cook.

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 comes from early 18th-century England, around 1720, a time when extravagant fruit cakes marked festive occasions, especially Christmas and weddings. The 'rich plumb cake' described here is a direct ancestor of today's Christmas and wedding cakes, layered with luxury ingredients like imported spices, citrus peels, and alcohol. Such cakes were labor-intensive showpieces symbolizing both hospitality and social status, reserved for grand celebrations. The recipe reflects the global trade influences of the day, with spices and candied fruits sourced from faraway lands, and spirits like sack and brandy indicating continental tastes among England’s elite.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In period kitchens, ingredients were processed by hand. Large wooden bowls, stone mortars for grinding almonds and spices, and strong wooden spoons or hands would have been used to beat and blend the hefty mixture. Eggs were hand-whisked and all elements incorporated by manual mixing—'beating with your hand' for up to an hour. Baking took place in wood-fired ovens, with round metal hoops (without bases) lined with paper, placed directly onto the baking stone. Maintaining oven heat was a skill, as temperature control relied on burning and raking embers, and cakes were often moved in and out to prevent burning.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

4 hrs

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

6 lb unsalted butter, room temperature
3 lb white sugar, finely ground
1 lb 12 oz blanched Jordan almonds, ground (or regular blanched almonds), mixed with 2 tbsp orange flower water or 2 tbsp dry sherry (as sack substitute)
32 large eggs (use only 16 whites, discard the rest)
4 lb plain wheat flour, sifted and dried
7 lb fresh currants, washed and dried (or substitute with sultanas/golden raisins if currants unavailable)
1/4 oz ground mace
1/4 oz ground cloves
1/4 oz ground cinnamon
3 whole nutmegs, grated (approx. 2 tsp)
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup sack (or dry sherry as substitute)
1/2 cup French brandy
14 oz mixed candied citrus peels: orange, lemon, citron
Butter and flour for lining pans

Instructions

To create this rich 18th-century plum cake in your own kitchen, begin by creaming 6 pounds of unsalted butter (at room temperature) with 3 pounds of fine white sugar until light and fluffy.
Slowly incorporate 1 pound 12 ounces of ground blanched almonds, which have been mixed with about 2 tablespoons of orange flower water or 2 tablespoons of dry sherry as a substitute for sack, until fully blended.
Beat together 32 large eggs, discarding half of the whites, and gradually add to the butter mixture, beating continuously until pale and thickened.
Stir in 1/2 cup each of sack (or sherry) and French brandy, then fold in your spices: 1/4 ounce each of ground mace, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, 3 grated nutmegs, and 2 teaspoons of ground ginger.
Gently incorporate 4 pounds of sifted, plain flour in batches.
Finally, fold in 7 pounds of currants (warmed if possible) and about 14 ounces total of chopped candied orange, lemon, and citron peel.
Divide the dense batter between two lined 9–10 inch springform pans or deep cake rings (hoops).
Smooth the tops and bake in a preheated oven at 340°F (fan 300°F) for approximately four hours until done, checking after three hours.
Cool completely before serving—this cake was meant to last!

Estimated Calories

600 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes around 45 minutes to prepare the cake batter and pans, and about 4 hours to bake the cakes. With these ingredients, you'll get about 40 servings, each with roughly 600 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.