Recipe Manuscript

To Make A Rich Cake

Name: To Make A Rich Cake
Prep time: PTPT1H30M
Cook time: PTPT3H30M
Yield: 40
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 3.2 kg plain (all-purpose) flour, dried; 450 g unsalted butter, fresh, plus extra for greasing; 28 g ground mace; 14 g ground cloves; 14 g ground cinnamon; 900 g granulated sugar; 450 g chopped candied lemon peel & citron (mixed candied citrus peel as substitute); 113 g sliced dates; 12 large eggs (whites beaten to stiff peaks); 950 ml strong ale; 30 g fresh baker's yeast (or 14 g active dry yeast); 950 ml sack (sweet sherry, Madeira, or Marsala); 142 ml orange flower water or rose water; 450 g unsalted butter (for melting); 950 ml double (heavy) cream; 2.7 kg currants

1694

From the treasured pages of English cookery and medicine book,

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Advanced Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1694

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Make A Rich Cake

"Dry 7 pound of flowder, then rub it into a pound of fresh butterr then mix in one ounce of Mace cloves Cinamond 2 pound of sugar a pound of Candedd Lemon & Cittorne, 4 Ounces of Dates sliced, 12 Eggs whip their whites to snow a quart of ale yeast, a Quart of sack, a quarter of a pint of Brange flower (or Rose) watter, then melt a pound of butterr in a quart of Creame make it blood warme, then put ale into the flower, & mix it well together, then mix in 6 pound of Currance, then put it into a butterred hoop, and bake in three houres and an halfe, make ye Iceing ready to Lay on just as ye cake comes out of the Oven, then the heat of the cake hardens it enough"

Note on the Original Text

Seventeenth-century recipes were written assuming familiarity with ingredient and process, thus omitting standard temperatures, times, or precise sequencing. Spelling such as 'flowder' (flour), 'Cittorne' (citron), and 'ye' (the) reflects idiosyncratic orthography and the lack of standardization. Unlike today’s cake recipes, leavening comes from ale yeast stirred into the batter, and 'blood warme' means simply body-temperature. Careful reading and culinary inference are needed to modernize proportions, interpret ambiguous measures such as 'quart' and 'pint,' and deduce missing steps like preheating the oven or preparing the icing.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

English cookery and medicine book, - Click to view recipe in book

Title

English cookery and medicine book, (1694)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1694

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful journey through late 17th to early 18th-century kitchens, this tome features recipes, culinary wisdom, and mouthwatering secrets from an era where feasts reigned supreme and the art of cooking was celebrated with flourish.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from a handwritten collection dating from approximately 1677 to 1711, a period rich in elaborate festive baking in the British Isles. Cakes such as this exemplified wealth and celebration, being reserved for special occasions like weddings and feast days. The inclusion of exotic spices, dried fruits, and imported sack (sherry), along with the elaborate process, underscores its status as a showpiece dessert. Its survival in manuscript form tells us about the domestic skills, ingredient trade, and culinary aspirations of well-to-do households.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditional preparation called for wide shallow wooden bowls for mixing, a sieve for drying and sifting flour beside the hearth, and a large wooden spoon or hands for combining fat and flour. Cake mixtures were baked in greased hoops—circular metal bands placed directly on baking sheets or in large hearth ovens—and sometimes lined with baking papers or leaves. For leavening, live ale yeast was fetched from the local brewery. Whisks made from birch twigs or bundles of feathers helped whip egg whites. Open hearth or brick oven provided steady, gentle heat, carefully tended for this grand bake.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time

3 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

7 lb plain (all-purpose) flour, dried
1 lb unsalted butter, fresh, plus extra for greasing
1 oz ground mace
0.5 oz ground cloves
0.5 oz ground cinnamon
2 lb granulated sugar
1 lb chopped candied lemon peel & citron (mixed candied citrus peel as substitute)
4 oz sliced dates
12 large eggs (whites beaten to stiff peaks)
1¼ quarts strong ale
1 oz fresh baker's yeast (or 0.5 oz active dry yeast)
2 pints (1 quart) sack (sweet sherry, Madeira, or Marsala)
5 fl oz orange flower water or rose water
1 lb unsalted butter (for melting)
2 pints (1 quart) double (heavy) cream
6 lb currants

Instructions

To make a rich fruit cake in modern times, start by thoroughly drying 7 lb of plain (all-purpose) flour and then rubbing it into 1 lb of fresh unsalted butter with your fingertips until it has a breadcrumb texture.
Mix in the following ground spices: 1 oz of mace, 0.5 oz of cloves, and 0.5 oz of cinnamon.
Add 2 lb of granulated sugar, 1 lb of chopped candied lemon peel and citron (substitute mixed candied citrus peel if needed), and 4 oz of sliced dates.
In a separate large bowl, whisk 12 eggs, separating the whites and whipping them to stiff peaks.
To activate the yeast, combine 1 quart and 1 cup (1¼ quarts) of ale with about 1 oz of fresh baker's yeast (or 0.5 oz active dry yeast dissolved in a little warm water), and add 1 quart (2 pints) of sweet sherry (or substitute with Madeira or Marsala), and 5 fl oz of orange flower water or rose water.
Melt 1 lb of butter into 2 pints (1 quart) of cream, heating gently until just warm (about 98°F, or blood-warm).
Combine all the liquid ingredients and add to the flour mixture, mixing well to form a dense batter.
Next, gently fold in 6 lb of washed and dried currants.
Transfer the thick batter into a well-buttered deep cake tin or hoop.
Bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 3 hours and 30 minutes, covering loosely with parchment if browning too quickly.
Prepare a simple icing (beaten egg white and icing sugar) to spread on the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven—the residual heat sets the icing into a glossy finish.

Estimated Calories

705 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing this rich fruit cake takes time because you need to measure, mix, and whip the ingredients carefully before baking. The long baking time ensures the cake cooks all the way through, and a large batch means each slice is full of fruit and flavor. Calories per serving are estimated based on dividing the whole cake into 40 pieces.

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.