Recipe Manuscript

A Good Plum Cake, from Mrs Kelsal

Name: A Good Plum Cake, from Mrs Kelsal
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT2H30M
Yield: 30
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2.7 kg plain flour; 14 g ground mace; 1.1 kg caster sugar; 8 large eggs, use only 4 whites; 140 ml sweet sherry (substitute for sack); 140 ml rosewater; 15 g instant dried yeast, or 570 ml fresh baker’s yeast; 570 ml heavy cream; 1.36 kg unsalted butter; 2.3 kg currants (can substitute sultanas or mixed dried fruit if needed)

1730

From the treasured pages of Cookery and medicinal recipes of Dorothy Pennyman

Written by Dorothy Pennyman

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Advanced Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1730

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

A Good Plum Cake, from Mrs Kelsal

"Take 6 pd of flower, & put to it 1/2 an Ounce off beaten Mace. & 2 1/2 pd of Sugar - beat 8 Eggs & but 4 Whites & put into them. a qutr of a pt of Sack, & as much Rose Water, put to these. a Quart of Yeast, & a pt of Creame;. then take 3 pd of fresh Butter worke it with your hand till it be extreame, soft, then put in all ye Wetting upon ye butterr, & when you have mingled it well together. strew in all ye flower working it lightly with your hands, then strew in, 5 pd of Currants when they are picked mixing all well together so cover it with a cloath, & set it halfe an hour before ye fire & lett ye paper & Hoop be well butterred & flowered then turn in ye Cake & Bake it about 2 hours & a halfe.)"

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in the conversational, continuous prose style that was characteristic of 18th-century English household manuscripts. Measurements used ‘pounds,’ ‘ounces,’ ‘quarts,’ and ‘pints,’ reflecting commercial scales and household vessels of the era, and terms like 'sack' and 'flower' (flour) show contemporary spelling and ingredient names. Recipe instructions presupposed a reader’s prior cooking knowledge. Precise times and temperatures were rare—instead, techniques rely on visual and tactile cues (‘work till it be extreame soft’, ‘halfe an hour before ye fire’). Letters such as ‘ye’ for ‘the’ reflect period spelling conventions.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookery and medicinal recipes of Dorothy Pennyman - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookery and medicinal recipes of Dorothy Pennyman (1730)

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

Writer

Dorothy Pennyman

Era

1730

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into early Georgian kitchens, this culinary manuscript compiled by Dorothy Pennyman showcases the elegant tastes and recipes of 18th-century England—perfect for those hungry for a taste of history.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is from the early 18th-century English manuscript cookbook compiled by Dorothy Pennyman, around 1730. Recipes of this period were typically recorded by literate gentlewomen, for sharing among households and family networks. ‘Plumb’ or fruit cakes were prestige items, rich in imported dried fruit, spices, and alcohol—demonstrating both wealth and taste. ‘Sack’ refers to a fortified white wine from Spain or the Canary Islands, similar to modern sherry. Such recipes were communal, labor-intensive, and would have formed the centerpiece of festive feasts. Pennyman’s books are among the treasures of English culinary history, offering firsthand insight into the foods of the Georgian elite.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in Mrs. Kelsal’s day, the cake would likely have been made in a large wooden or earthenware bowl for mixing and kneading. A cloth would cover the dough for rising near the open hearth or bread oven. The baking hoop (a predecessor to the cake tin), lined or greased with butter and dusted with flour, would help shape the cake. Baking would have taken place in a brick bread oven or beside the fire, with embers raked nearby for consistent heat. Hands would have done all the mixing and kneading—no electric mixers here!

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs 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

6 lb plain flour
0.5 oz ground mace
2.5 lb caster sugar
8 large eggs, use only 4 whites
5 fl oz sweet sherry (substitute for sack)
5 fl oz rosewater
0.5 oz instant dried yeast, or 1 pint fresh baker’s yeast
1 pint heavy cream
3 lb unsalted butter
5 lb currants (can substitute sultanas or mixed dried fruit if needed)

Instructions

To create Mrs.
Kelsal’s Good Plumb Cake as faithfully as possible for the modern kitchen, begin by sifting 6 lb of plain flour with 0.5 oz of ground mace and 2.5 lb of caster sugar.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat 8 large eggs, using only 4 of the whites.
Add in 5 fl oz of sweet sherry (as a stand-in for ‘sack’) and 5 fl oz of rosewater.
Mix in 1 pint of fresh baker’s yeast (note: use 0.5 oz instant dried yeast moistened in warm milk as a practical substitute) and 1 pint of heavy cream, warmed gently.
Soften 3 lb of unsalted butter by kneading it with your hands until almost whipped.
Blend all the ‘wetting’ ingredients into the butter until very well mixed.
Add the sifted flour mixture gradually, working it in lightly with your hands—do not overmix, as this is more like a bread dough than modern cake batters.
Fold in 5 lb of cleaned, dried currants until evenly distributed.
Cover the dough with a cloth and set it near a warm oven or fireplace for about 30 minutes to rise lightly.
Prepare a large, well-buttered and floured tin or hoop (springform pans are ideal today).
Fill with the dough, level the top, and bake at 320°F (160°C) for around 2.5 hours, until risen and golden.
Allow to cool before slicing.

Estimated Calories

510 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend about 30 minutes preparing the dough and ingredients, then the cake bakes for around 2.5 hours. This recipe makes a very large cake and serves about 30 people. Each serving has about 510 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.