butter, two pounds of Jordan almonds blanched and beat fine in a mortar, with orange flower water and sack; then take four pounds of eggs, put half the whites away, three pounds of double refined sugar beaten and sifted, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same of cinnamon and mace, three large nutmegs, and a little ginger, all beaten fine and sifted, half a pint of sack, half a pint of good French brandy, some candied citron, orange and lemon peel to your liking, and cut in slips; work the butter to a cream with your hands before any of your ingredients are put in, then put in the sugar, and mix them well together; before you put in the eggs, let them be well beaten and strained through a sieve, then work in your almonds, put in the eggs, and beat all well together, till they look white and thick; put in your sack, brandy, and spices shake your flour in by degrees, and when the oven is ready put in your currants and sweetmeats, and work it well up, put it into your hoops, and bake it four hours in a quick oven: you must keep beating it with your hand all the while you are mixing it; and when your currants are washed and cleaned, put them before the fire to plump, so that they may go warm into the cake. You may bake this quantity in two hoops if you please, and when it is cold ice it.
To make a Plumb Cake.
Take two pounds ten ounces of the finest flour well dried, two pounds of currants weighed after picked; washed, and dried; three nutmegs finely grated, three or four blades of large mace, ten
cloves,
