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A rich fruit cake.

Have the following articles prepared, before you begin the cake:  four pounds of flour dried and sifted, four pounds of butter washed to free it from salt, two pounds of loaf sugar pounded, a quarter of a pound of mace, the same of nutmegs powdered; wash four pounds of currants clean, pick and dry them; blanch one pound of sweet almonds, and cut them in very thin slices; stone two pounds of raisins, cut them in two, and strew a little flour over to prevent their sticking together, and two pounds of citron sliced thin; break thirty eggs, separating the yelks and whites; work the butter to a cream with your hand-put in alternately, flour, sugar, and the froth from both whites and yelks, which must be beaten separately, and only the froth put in.  When all are mixed and the cake looks very light, add the spice, with half a pint of brandy, the currants and almonds; butter the mould well, pour in part of the cake, strew over it some raisins and citron—­do this until all is in:  set it in a well heated oven:  when it has risen, and the top is coloured, cover it with paper; it will require three hours baking—­it must be iced.

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Naples biscuit.

Beat twelve eggs light, add to them one pound of flour, and one of powdered sugar; continue to beat all together till perfectly light; bake it in long pans, four inches wide, with divisions; so that each cake, when done, will be four inches long, and one and a half wide.

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Shrewsbury cakes.

Mix a pound of sugar, with two pounds of flour, and a large spoonful of pounded coriander seeds; sift them, add three quarters of a pound of melted butter, six eggs, and a gill of brandy; knead it well, roll it thin, cut it in shapes, and bake without discolouring it.

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Little plum cakes.

Prepare them as directed for pound cake, add raisins and currants, bake them in small tin shapes, and ice them.

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Soda cakes.

Dissolve half a pound of sugar in a pint of milk, add a tea-spoonful of soda; pour it on two pounds of flour—­melt half a pound of butter, knead all together till light, put it in shallow moulds, and bake it quickly in a brisk oven.

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To make bread.