• 3–3¼ lb. flour
• ¼ teasp. salt
• 3 level teasp. ground cinnamon
• 3 level teasp. ground mace
• 1 nutmeg (grated)
• 1-½ teasp. baking-powder
• 3 lb. butter
• 3 lb. castor sugar
• 1½ teasp. parisian essence or other gravy browning
• 24 large eggs
• 5½ lb. currants
• 2 lb. sultanas
• 1–1½ lb. glacé cherries
• 1–1¼ lb. mixed chopped peel
• rind and juice of 1 lemon
• ½–1 lb. blanched, chopped almonds
• 1½ gill rum or brandy or rum and brandy

Prepare and line 3 cake-tins, one 12 in. diameter, one 8 in., and one 4 in. diameter.

Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking-powder. Mix together all the fruit with a little of the measured flour. Cream the butter and sugar very well, add browning. Add egg and flour alternately to the creamed fat, beating well between each addition. Stir in the prepared fruit, almonds and brandy. Divide half of the mixture between the 2 smaller tins, and put the remaining half of the mixture in the biggest tin. Tie a thick band of brown paper round the outside of each tin. Smooth the mixture and make a depression in the centre of each cake. Bake the 4-in. cake for 2–3 hr., the 8-in. cake for 3½–4 hr., and the 12-in. cake for 5–6 hr. Put in a cool oven (310° F., Gas 2) for the first ½ hr., then reduce heat to very cool (290°–240° F., Gas 1-½) for the remainder of the time.

To finish the cakes.

To cover the 4-in. cake with almond paste 1 lb. ground almonds, etc., will be required; 2 lb. ground almonds, etc., for the 8-in. cake and 3 lb. ground almonds, etc., for the 12-in. cake.

For the royal icing use 1 lb. icing sugar, etc., for the 4-in. cake, 2 lb. for the 8-in. cake and 3 lb. sugar, etc., for the 12-in. cake.

Decoration of each cake is then completed upon silver boards (of correct size) covered with a lace d’oyley. The cake is then assembled by placing one cake on top of the other with pillars supporting them. The pillars for the bottom tier should be 3 in. in height and for the top the pillars should be 4 in. high. Place a silver vase containing white flowers and smilax on top.