Cornish Heavy Cake

• 5lb plain flour
• 1lb 14oz lard

Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder and lightly rub in the lard. Drop in the fruit and add the milk all at once, mixing lightly to a soft dough. Weigh out 1¼lb of mixture for each seven-inch sponge tin. Brush the top with beaten egg and bake at 425°F, 220°C, gas mark 7 for thirty minutes.