The last recipe to adapt for Emma's grooms is this cake by Elizabeth Raffald. I'm sure that M. Elton deserves nothing of the sort but I've announced the post a while ago so here it is.
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| Steventon Church, where Jane Austen's father worked |
According to the novel, the wedding of Miss Augusta Hawkins was the most perfect of all -or so the lady thought. Regardless of the fact that grooms in the 1800s were probably deprived of wedding cakes, the multi-layered construction in this bride's honor would be the centre of attention & the dowry-hunting vicar limit himself to admiring it. But if we do insist on making something for the husband, a fancy cake of 1769 could be an option. Why make this cake in particular? Because it's clearly meant for special occasions.
This is the original recipe from The Experienced English Housekeeper: "To make a good PLUM CAKE. Take a pound and a half of fine flour well dried, a pound and a half of butter, three quarters of a pound of currants washed and well-picked, stone half a pound of raisins, and slice them, eighteen ounces of sugar beat and sifted, fourteen eggs, leave out the whites of half of them, shred the peel of a large lemon exceeding fine, three ounces of candied orange, the same of lemon, a tea-spooful of beaten mace, half a nutmeg grated, a tea-cupful of brandy, or white wine, four spoonfuls of orange flower water; first work the butter with your hand to a cream, then beat your sugar well in, whisk your eggs for half an hour, then mix them with your sugar and butter, and put in your flour and spices, when your oven is ready, mix your brandy, fruit, and sweetmeats lightly in, then put it in your hoop, and send it to the oven; it will require two hours and a half baking. -It will take an hour and a half beating."
GROOM'S CAKE FOR M. ELTON
This is 2/3 of the original recipe. I was a little sceptical about using orange flower water in this cake, which is already flavored with brandy, so I left it out. The chocolate glazing is optional. I did it because I've already posted about rich fruit cake (for Miss Taylor's wedding) and now I wanted something different.
I n g r e d i e n t s
155g flour
155g butter, softened
45g sugar
4 eggs, separated
1/2tsp nutmeg, grated
2tbsp brandy
1tbsp milk
75g raisins
75g candied orange + lemon
grated lemon peel
M e t h o d
1. Preheat the oven at 180C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Adjust a cake ring at 26cm and place it on top. Grease only the bottom of this mold. 2. Sift the flour with the grated nutmeg in a bowl. Beat the egg whites stiff in another. Beat the yolks with the butter and sugar in a third bowl until light, gradually adding the brandy, milk & grated lemon peel. 3. Fold the meringue into the batter, alternating with the flour. Stir in the raisins and candied fruit. 4. Pour the mixture into the cake ring and bake for an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. 5. Transfer onto a wire rack and let cool for several hours.
For the optional glazing: Place 400g bittersweet chocolate and 200g heavy cream in a double boiler. Add 75g sugar, 75g raisins and 75g mixed fruit peel. Stir from time to time until the chocolate is melted. Place the cake on a dish and spread with the glazing while it's hot.
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