A Good Light Luncheon-Cake and Brown Brack

Source: Eliza Acton, 1845

Instructions

  1. Break down four ounces of butter into a couple of pounds of flour, and work it quite into crumbs, but handle it very lightly.
  2. Mix in a pinch of salt and four ounces of pounded sugar.
  3. Hollow the centre, and stir into it a large tablespoonful of solid well-washed yeast (or an ounce of German yeast, which will ferment more quickly), diluted with three-quarters of a pint of warm new milk.
  4. When sufficient of the surrounding flour is mixed with it to form a thick batter, strew more flour on the top, lay a cloth once or twice folded together over the pan, and let it remain until the leaven has become very light: this it will generally be in an hour and a quarter, or, at the utmost, in an hour and a half.
  5. The fermentation may be quickened by increasing the proportion of yeast, but this is better avoided, as it may chance to render the cake bitter; additional time must always be allowed for it to rise when but a small quantity is used.
  6. When the leaven is at the proper height, add to a couple of well whisked eggs sufficient nearly-boiling milk to warm them, and mix them with the other ingredients.
  7. Then beat well into the cake by degrees eight ounces more of pounded sugar, and half a grated nutmeg.
  8. Cut from two to three ounces of candied citron thin, and strew over it; leave it again to rise, as before, for about three-quarters of an hour.
  9. Mix the citron equally with it, put it into a thickly buttered tin or earthen pan, and bake it in a quick oven for an hour and ten minutes at the least; after it is placed in it let it not be moved until it is quite set, or it will possibly be heavy at the top.
  10. The grated rinds of a couple of lemons will improve its flavour.
  11. Fine Lisbon sugar can be used to sweeten it instead of pounded, but the difference of expense would be very slight, and the cake would not be so good; the quantity can of course be diminished when it is considered too much.
  12. Three-quarters of a pound of currants can, at choice, be substituted for the citron.
  13. Three ounces of carraway seeds will convert it into common brown brack, or Irish seed-cake.
  14. For the manner of purifying yeast, see Chapter XXXI.

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