A Rich Fruit Cake

Ingredients

• 4 pounds flour
• 4 pounds butter
• 2 pounds loaf sugar
• 0.25 pound mace
• 0.25 pound nutmegs
• 4 pounds currants
• 1 pound sweet almonds
• 2 pounds raisins
• 2 pounds citron
• 30 eggs
• 0.5 pint brandy

Instructions

1. Prepare all ingredients before beginning: dry and sift the flour, wash the butter to remove salt, pound the sugar, powder the mace and nutmegs, wash and dry the currants, blanch and thinly slice the almonds, stone and halve the raisins (dust lightly with flour to prevent clumping), and slice the citron thin. Separate the eggs into yolks and whites.
2. Work the butter to a cream with your hand. Beat the egg whites and yolks separately until frothy. Add to the creamed butter alternately with flour and sugar, using only the froth from both whites and yolks.
3. When all ingredients are mixed and the cake looks very light, add the spice, brandy, currants, and almonds. Stir well.
4. Butter the mold well. Pour in part of the cake mixture, then strew over some raisins and citron. Continue layering cake, raisins, and citron until all is used.
5. Set in a well heated oven. When the cake has risen and the top is colored, cover with paper. Bake for three hours. When cool, ice the cake.