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| Winslow Homer, The Reaper - 1868 |
Oh the drunken cake: a variation of the English trifle, in which the cake is soaked in as much liquor as it can hold, and very much enjoyed in the Southern States of America. Modern cookery, in all its branches (1845) noted the difference between old-fashioned and modern versions of the tipsy cake, using brandy and wine respectively - or a mixture of brandy and wine in the latter case. Wine-soaked trifle was already suggested in The Experienced English Housekeeper (1769) by Elizabeth Raffald, and the same was true for Elizabeth Acton's "excellent trifle" but tipsy cake was different. There was an illustration in the 19th century book, showing exactly what it looked like: studded with almonds, it gave the impression of a cactus.
In 1861 Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management featured two versions of the tipsy cake, accompanied by her delicious vanilla custard:
Mode.—Procure a cake that is three or four days old,—either sponge, Savoy, or rice answering for the purpose of a tipsy cake. Cut the bottom of the cake level, to make it stand firm in the dish; make a small hole in the centre, and pour in and over the cake sufficient sweet wine or sherry, mixed with the above proportion of brandy, to soak it nicely. When the cake is well soaked, blanch and cut the almonds into strips, stick them all over the cake, and pour round it a good custard, made by recipe No. 1423, allowing 8 eggs instead of 5 to the pint of milk. The cakes are sometimes crumbled and soaked, and a whipped cream heaped over them, the same as for trifles.
Mode.—Put the milk into a lined saucepan, with the sugar, and whichever of the above flavourings may be preferred (the lemon-rind flavours custards most deliciously), and let the milk steep by the side of the fire until it is well flavoured. Bring it to the point of boiling, then strain it into a basin; whisk the eggs well, and, when the milk has cooled a little, stir in the eggs, and strain this mixture into a jug. Place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire; keep stirring the custard one way until it thickens; but on no account allow it to reach the boiling-point, as it will instantly curdle and be full of lumps. Take it off the fire, stir in the brandy, and, when this is well mixed with the custard, pour it into glasses, which should be rather more than three-parts full; grate a little nutmeg over the top, and the dish is ready for table. To make custards look and eat better, ducks' eggs should be used, when obtainable; they add very much to the flavour and richness, and so many are not required as of the ordinary eggs, 4 ducks' eggs to the pint of milk making a delicious custard. When desired extremely rich and good, cream should be substituted for the milk, and double the quantity of eggs used, to those mentioned, omitting the whites.
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