Christmas Cake & Almond Icing by Mrs Beeton

Certain of Mrs Beeton's recipes are often quite simple to make as they state their measurements in cupfuls rather than ounces or pounds.  So much easier to measure and no necessity to look up the conversion chart into grams or millilitres.  And her Christmas Cake is one such recipe - to be precise it requires teacupfuls of flour, melted butter and treacle, but most cooks do have a teacup in their cupboard, usually inherited from their mother or grandmother.  So, once you have found your teacup, please try this recipe for a basic Christmas cake, flavoured with raisins.  It can then be decorated with almond icing or as pictured with glace cherries and almonds.

Christmas Cake

5 teacupfuls of flour                                                1 teaspoonful carbonate of soda
1 teacupful of melted butter                                    1 tablespoonful of vinegar
1 teacupful of cream                                               2 eggs, well-whisked
1 teacupful of moist sugar (I used brown)              1 teacupful of treacle
1/2 oz. (12g) powdered ginger                                8 oz. (225g) raisins, cut into small pieces

Pre-heat oven to 180C.  Melt 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.  When these dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, stir in the butter, cream, treacle and eggs.  Beat the mixture for a few minutes.  Dissolve the carbonate of 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 into a moderate (180C) oven immediately and bake for 1 and half to 2 and a half hours.

Almond Icing

1 lb (500g) caster sugar                                            Whites of 4 eggs                                         
1 lb (500g) almonds, blanched                                 A little rosewater

Pound the almonds to a paste with a little rosewater.  Beat the egg whites to a stiff froth and mix with the almonds.  Add the sugar and beat all together.  Spread the mixture onto cake and put in oven to dry.