Recipe Manuscript

A: Plumb Cake

Name: A: Plumb Cake
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT1H45M
Yield: 40
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 3.2 kg fine white flour; 1.13 kg unsalted butter, softened; 3.2 kg currants (or substitute with equal mix of sultanas, raisins, and currants if unavailable); 16 large eggs (using only 12 whites); 14 g ground mace; 7 g ground cloves; 450 g granulated sugar; 700 ml lukewarm milk; 700 ml fresh brewer’s yeast (or 30 g active dry yeast dissolved in milk); 450 g blanched almonds, coarsely chopped; 450 g candied orange peel; 450 g candied citron; 150 ml sack wine (substitute dry sherry); 50 ml orange flower water (optional, for almonds); Puff pastry or parchment for lining pan

1690

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of Jane Dawson

Written by Jane Dawson

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Advanced Dessert

Original Recipe • 1690

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

A: Plumb Cake

"Take Seven pound of fine flour and Two pound and half of butterr. put it buter into the flour seven pound of Curronds. Tow Shuttment Eggs: half an owner of Mace a quarter of an ounce of Cloves all finely beat and put in to the flour one pound of Sugar sixteen Eggs leaving out four whites a pint and a half of lest warm as much lick as you think well beat it and put sume Sack to the Cream to make it as thick as bater beat a pound of almonds with Sack or orange flower Water but does not let them be fine. but Grosly beat put in a pound of Candyd orange peel and Sitron. put it in to your hoop with a past under it to save the bottom. This is a very good Cake;"

Note on the Original Text

Early modern English recipes were typically written with minimal instruction, assuming proficiency in the kitchen. Quantities were huge, suited to households and special feasts, so expect proportions larger than today’s. Spelling was not standardized: 'Curronds' are currants, 'lest' is yeast, 'lick' means milk, 'Sack' is a fortified wine, and 'hoop' is a batter ring. The casual mention of spices and candied peel also reflects an era when readers were expected to know their flavors and how to achieve them. The old recipe’s lack of precise timings or heat instructions shows reliance on a cook’s senses and experience.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of Jane Dawson - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of Jane Dawson (1690)

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

Writer

Jane Dawson

Era

1690

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into late 17th-century English kitchens, Jane Dawson's recipe collection is a flavorful tapestry of sweet delicacies and savory dishes, revealing the tastes and ingenuity of bygone home cooks.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from late 17th-century Britain, a period when rich, fruit-laden cakes marked festive occasions and genteel hospitality. Jane Dawson recorded such culinary treasures in her handwritten manuscript (V.b.14), spanning the late 1600s—a time when imported sugar, dried fruit, and spices reflected wealth and connection to burgeoning global trade. Plumb cake (meaning 'with plums' or any dried fruit) was a forerunner of today’s fruitcake, often leavened with ale or barm yeast before commercial baking powder existed. Sack wine and candied citrus would have imparted exotic luxury, making this cake a true showstopper for celebrations.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Bakers in the 1600s would have used large wooden bowls for mixing and hand-beaten wooden spoons or paddles. A 'hoop' refers to a bottomless tin or wooden ring used to shape the cake, often placed directly on a flat baking stone or metal sheet in a wood-fired oven, with a pastry lining to prevent scorching. Eggs were beaten by hand, almonds crushed with a mortar and pestle, and spices ground fresh. Rising depended on barm or brewer’s yeast, while temperature was managed by skill and experience, tending open hearths or brick ovens for even heat.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 45 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

7 lb fine white flour
2.5 lb unsalted butter, softened
7 lb currants (or substitute with equal mix of sultanas, raisins, and currants if unavailable)
16 large eggs (using only 12 whites)
0.5 oz ground mace
0.25 oz ground cloves
1 lb granulated sugar
1.5 pints (3 cups) lukewarm milk
1.5 pints (3 cups) fresh brewer’s yeast (or 1 oz active dry yeast dissolved in milk)
1 lb blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1 lb candied orange peel
1 lb candied citron
5 fl oz sack wine (substitute dry sherry)
1.75 fl oz orange flower water (optional, for almonds)
Puff pastry or parchment for lining pan

Instructions

To make this late 17th-century Plumb Cake, begin by blending about 7 pounds of fine white flour with 2.5 pounds of softened unsalted butter.
Gently rub the butter into the flour, then add 7 pounds of cleaned currants.
Lightly beat 16 large eggs, omitting 4 whites, and add to the mixture.
In a separate bowl, dissolve 1.5 pints (3 cups) of brewer's yeast (or active dry yeast) in about 1.5 pints (3 cups) of lukewarm milk, then combine with the flour mixture.
Add 1 pound of granulated sugar, 0.5 ounce of ground mace, 0.25 ounce of ground cloves, and 1 pound of coarsely chopped blanched almonds.
Pour in a generous splash of sack (a type of fortified white wine like sherry) to enrich the batter.
Incorporate 1 pound each of candied orange peel and citron.
Mix all together into a thick batter-like dough, then transfer into a lined cake hoop or springform tin, setting a pastry dough or parchment base to prevent sticking.
Let the cake rise until slightly puffed, then bake in a moderate oven (about 340°F) for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.

Estimated Calories

480 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will need about 45 minutes to prepare the ingredients and batter. Once assembled, the cake bakes for around 1 hour and 45 minutes. This hearty recipe makes about 40 generous servings, with each slice estimated at 480 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.