To Make Little Plum Cakes
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of Ann Smith, Reading
Written by Ann Smith

To Make Little Plum Cakes
"Take ½ lb. of fine Sugar dry finley þarched, then mingle it with your flower & take ½ lb. of sweet Butter & putt it into a Deep Diſh & 2 or 3 spoonfulls of Roſe Water working it with your hands take ½ lb. of Currants & take 6 yoalks & 6 whites of egges Beat them well togather with Roſe water then putt them togather with a Blade or 2 of mace findly beaten, then work it in your Flower & sugar by a little att a Time when you have Done almost then putt in it ½ lb of Currants waſhed & dried & putt hott upon Coals, then putt them in your Butter’d pañns & sett them in a quick oven. This Quantity will make 22 Cakes."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe, like most from the late 1600s, is written as a narrative rather than by strict measurements or stepwise instructions. Ingredients are given in pounds and handfuls, and actions are described as they would have been understood by an experienced housekeeper or cook. Spelling was wildly inconsistent: 'finley þarched' (for 'finely parched'), 'yoalks' (yolks), 'pañns' (pans), and the archaic long 'ſ' (used in 'Roſe Water') pepper the text. Quantities were large, fitting for a household rather than a single family, and the order of ingredients practical—wet and dry blended in stages for a rich, cohesive batter. The recipe captures a moment when culinary literacy was rising among English gentry women, blending tradition with the new luxuries of sugar and spice.

Title
Cookbook of Ann Smith, Reading (1698)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Ann Smith
Era
1698
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step into the sumptuous kitchens of 17th-century England with Ann Smith’s culinary treasury, where traditional recipes and time-honored techniques invite you to savor the flavors of history. Each page promises a feast of inspiration and a glimpse into the artful dining of a bygone era.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This charming recipe for Little Plumb Cakes comes from Ann Smith's late 17th-century household manuscript dating to 1698, a period just as English domestic baking was blossoming. Such 'plum cakes' were less like modern fruitcakes and more akin to dense little sponge cakes or buns enriched with dried fruit—plums then being the catch-all term for raisins and currants. At the time, cakes like these were a hallmark of celebration and hospitality, reflecting both the increasing availability of imported sugar and dried fruits, and the fashion for delicately flavored, perfumed pastries using aromatics like rosewater. Ann Smith herself was likely a woman of means, equipped both with the ingredients and the staff or leisure to produce such confections.

In 1698, the baker would have used a large earthenware or wooden mixing bowl to work the butter, hands as the main tool for creaming and kneading, and finely woven sieves for sifting the flour and sugar. Eggs would be beaten with a fork or small whisk. Currants were washed and dried—possibly before an open fire. Mace would need grinding in a mortar and pestle. The cakes would be baked in small round pans (resembling today's tart or muffin tins), all buttered generously. Coals on the hearth provided the 'quick oven,' which would have been managed either in a brick oven or before a free-standing range, with ash and embers carefully arranged for even heat.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Servings
22
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (½ lb) fine granulated sugar, dried and sifted, plus extra for dusting (optional)
- 8 ounces (½ lb) plain wheat flour (all-purpose)
- 8 ounces (½ lb) unsalted butter (sweet butter), room temperature
- 2–3 tablespoons rosewater
- 6 large eggs
- A pinch (approx. ¼ tsp) ground mace (can substitute ground nutmeg if mace is unavailable)
- 8 ounces (½ lb) dried currants (substitute raisins or chopped sultanas if needed)
Instructions
- To make Little Plum Cakes according to this delightful 1698 recipe, begin by thoroughly drying 8 ounces of fine granulated sugar (about ½ pound) and sifting it finely.
- Mix the sugar with 8 ounces (½ pound) of plain white wheat flour.
- In a separate bowl, soften 8 ounces of unsalted butter, and work it well with your hands along with 2–3 tablespoons of rosewater until creamy and fragrant.
- Prepare 6 large eggs, separating the yolks and whites, and beat them together with a splash more rosewater.
- Add a pinch of ground mace (a scant ¼ teaspoon).
- Combine egg mixture with the butter, then gradually fold in the flour and sugar mixture, step by step, until a batter forms.
- When nearly finished, add 8 ounces (½ pound) of good quality currants, thoroughly washed and dried.
- Warm the finished batter gently, then spoon it into well-buttered small pans—individual muffin or tart tins will work perfectly.
- Bake the cakes in a hot oven (approximately 400°F/200°C) until golden and fragrant, remembering that this recipe makes about 22 lovely little cakes.
Estimated Calories
150 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing these Little Plum Cakes takes about 30 minutes, including mixing and assembling the ingredients. Baking them takes about 18 minutes. Each cake is about 150 calories, and the recipe makes around 22 cakes.
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