Plum-cake

Ingredients

• 2 pounds currants
• 2 pounds raisins
• 1 pound citron
• 1 pound flour
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1 pound butter
• 12 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 nutmegs
• 1 large glass wine
• 1 large glass brandy
• ½ glass rose-water
• flour for dusting

Directions

1. Clean and drain the currants, then dry them in a slanted dish near the fire or in the sun.

2. Stone and halve the raisins, then sprinkle them with sifted flour.

3. Pound the cinnamon and nutmeg, then sift and mix them together.

4. Mix the wine, brandy, and rose-water in a cup.

5. Cut the citron into slips and sift the flour into a large dish.

6. Sift the powdered sugar into a deep bowl and cut in the butter.

7. Warm the butter and sugar mixture if it's too cold to mix easily.

8. Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat the eggs and stir them in alternately with the flour.

9. Stir in the spice and liquor gradually, then fold in the floured raisins and currants.

10. Stir the mixture vigorously for 10 minutes.

11. Prepare a large tin or earthen pan by lining it with buttered paper.

12. Layer the mixture and citron in the pan, starting with the mixture, then a layer of citron, repeating until all is used.