Another Recipe (Bride-cake)

Ingredients

• 4 pounds fine flour (Well dried — spread on a baking tray and place in a low oven for 10 minutes, then cool completely before using.)
• 4 pounds fresh butter (Use unsalted butter at room temperature so it creams easily by hand.)
• 2 pounds loaf sugar (Loaf sugar is a refined, hard sugar. Use an equivalent weight of caster (superfine) sugar as a modern substitute.)
• 0.25 ounce mace (Pound in a mortar and pestle and sift through a fine sieve until powdery.)
• 0.25 ounce nutmeg (Pound in a mortar and pestle and sift through a fine sieve until powdery.)
• 32 whole eggs eggs (8 eggs per pound of flour × 4 pounds flour = 32 eggs total. Separate the whites from the yolks into two large bowls before starting.)
• 4 pounds currants (Wash thoroughly in cold water, spread on a clean towel, and leave to dry completely before using.)
• 1 pound sweet almonds (To blanch: place almonds in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, drain, and slip off the skins. Pat dry, then slice thinly.)
• 1 pound citron (Candied citron peel. Cut into thin slices or small pieces if not already prepared.)
• 1 pound candied orange (Candied orange peel. Cut into thin slices or small pieces if not already prepared.)
• 1 pound candied lemon (Candied lemon peel. Cut into thin slices or small pieces if not already prepared.)
• 0.5 pint brandy (Approximately 280 ml. Measure out before you begin.)

Instructions

1. 1Before you begin mixing, complete all your ingredient preparation: dry the flour, separate the 32 eggs into two large bowls (whites in one, yolks in another), wash and dry the currants thoroughly, blanch and thinly slice the almonds, pound and sift the mace and nutmeg separately, and cut the citron, candied orange, and candied lemon into thin pieces. Measure out the brandy. Preheat your oven to 160 °C (140 °C fan / 325 °F / Gas 3) — this is a 'moderate oven' by historical standards. Having everything ready before you start mixing is essential for this large, complex cake.
2. 2Place the 4 pounds of room-temperature butter into a very large mixing bowl. Using your hand (or a wooden spoon if preferred), work and squeeze the butter repeatedly until it becomes pale, smooth, and creamy in texture — much like thick whipped cream. This will take around 10 minutes of continuous working. The butter must be fully softened and airy before you move on.
3. 3Add the 2 pounds of loaf sugar (or caster sugar) to the creamed butter. Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon or your hand for a full 15 minutes. The mixture should become lighter in colour and noticeably fluffier. Do not rush this step — the extended beating incorporates air and is key to the cake's texture.
4. 4Using a large clean bowl and a whisk (a balloon whisk or electric hand whisk works well), whip the 32 egg whites until they form a strong, stiff froth — meaning the whites hold firm peaks when you lift the whisk. This is the historical equivalent of stiff-peak meringue. Be patient; with this quantity of eggs it may take 15–20 minutes by hand or 8–10 minutes with an electric whisk.
5. 5Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the butter and sugar mixture from step 3. Use a large spoon or spatula and fold with a light, sweeping motion to preserve as much of the air in the whites as possible. Continue until the whites are fully incorporated and no streaks remain.
6. 6In a separate large bowl, beat the 32 egg yolks vigorously for at least 30 minutes. This extended beating is essential — it aerates the yolks and turns them thick, pale, and ribbon-like. An electric hand whisk will make this far more manageable (10–12 minutes at high speed). The yolks should fall from the whisk in a thick, pale ribbon when ready.
7. 7Pour the beaten egg yolks into the large bowl containing the butter, sugar, and egg white mixture. Fold together gently but thoroughly with a large spatula until fully combined and uniform in colour.
8. 8Sift the 4 pounds of dried flour into the bowl along with the sifted mace and sifted nutmeg. Fold everything together using a large spoon or spatula, working steadily until a thick, uniform batter forms. Do not over-mix — fold just until no streaks of dry flour remain.
9. 9Continue to beat the batter vigorously with a wooden spoon until your oven has fully reached the correct temperature (160 °C / 140 °C fan / 325 °F / Gas 3). This keeps the batter well aerated and ensures the oven is truly ready before you bake. This may take a further 5–10 minutes of beating.
10. 10Pour the half pint (approximately 280 ml) of brandy into the batter and beat it in thoroughly until fully incorporated.
11. 11Add the 4 pounds of dried currants and the 1 pound of blanched, thinly sliced almonds to the batter. Fold them in lightly using a large spoon — do not beat vigorously at this stage, as you want to distribute the fruit and nuts evenly without breaking them down or deflating the batter.
12. 12Take your cake hoop or deep round cake tin. Tie or secure three layers of baking parchment around the outside bottom edge to prevent the batter from leaking out — this is especially important for a loose-bottomed tin or a traditional cake hoop. Then rub the inside of the hoop or tin thoroughly and generously with butter, ensuring all surfaces are coated to prevent sticking.
13. 13Spoon approximately one-third of the batter into the prepared tin and spread it level. Scatter over an even layer using one-third of the citron, one-third of the candied orange, and one-third of the candied lemon. Spread another third of the batter over the sweetmeats and smooth it level. Add a second layer of the remaining citron, candied orange, and candied lemon (another third of each). Spread the final third of the batter on top and smooth level. Finish with the last layer of citron, candied orange, and candied lemon, pressing them gently into the surface. This creates three distinct layers of sweetmeats through the cake, as the original recipe instructs.
14. 14Place the cake in the centre of your preheated oven (160 °C / 140 °C fan / 325 °F / Gas 3). Bake for 3 hours in total. As soon as the top of the cake has risen and turned a deep golden-brown colour — usually around the 45-minute to 1-hour mark — carefully lay a double sheet of baking parchment loosely over the top to protect it from over-browning. Leave the cake to continue baking undisturbed for the remainder of the 3 hours. Do not open the oven door unnecessarily during the first hour.
15. 15After 3 hours, test the cake by inserting a thin skewer or toothpick into the centre. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, the cake is done. If it comes out sticky, return the cake to the oven and check again every 15 minutes. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool completely in the tin before attempting to remove it — this large cake needs at least 2 hours to cool and firm up.