Mrs Beetons Baking Recipes Revisited
Christmas Cake
1.1lt (2 pints) Flour
235ml (8floz) Butter, melted
235ml (8floz) Cream
235ml (8floz) Treacle
235ml (8floz) Moist Sugar (Soft Brown Sugar)
225g (8oz) Raisins
2 Eggs
15g (½oz) Powdered Ginger
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 tbsp Vinegar
Melt the butter, but do not allow it to oil.
Put the flour into a basin.
Add the sugar, ginger and raisins, which should be stoned and cut into small pieces.
When thoroughly mixed, stir in the butter, cream, treacle and well whisked eggs.
Beat the mixture for a few minutes.
Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the vinegar.
Add it to the dough and being careful that all ingredients are well incorporated.
Put the cake into a buttered mould or tin.
Place it in a moderate oven immediately and bake it for 1¾ to 2¼ hours.
Time: 1¾ to 2¼ hours.
CHRISTMAS CAKE
1754. INGREDIENTS - 5 teacupfuls of flour, 1 teacupful of melted butter, 1 teacupful of cream, 1 teacupful of treacle, 1 teacupful of moist sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 oz. of powdered ginger, 1/2 lb. of raisins, 1 teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar.
Mode - Make the butter sufficiently warm to melt it, but do not allow it to oil; put the flour into a basin; add to it the sugar, ginger, and raisins, which should be stoned and cut into small pieces. When these dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, stir in the butter, cream, treacle, and well-whisked eggs, and beat the mixture for a few minutes. Dissolve the soda in the vinegar, add it to the dough, and be particular that these latter ingredients are well incorporated with the others; put the cake into a buttered mould or tin, place it in a moderate oven immediately, and bake it from 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours.
Time - 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours.
Average cost, 1s. 6d.
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