From 1911:
Four cups butter; four cups sugar; 10 eggs; four pints flour, six cups currants, washed, dried and picked; three cups sultana raisins; three cups citron; half a cup candied lemon peel; two cups almonds, blanched and cut in shreds; half a pint of brandy; two teaspoons each of nutmeg, mace, salt and cinnamon; one tablespoon each of cloves and allspice, four tablespoons baking powder. Prepare all these ingredients in the following manner:
Place butter and sugar in a large bowl; break eggs into quart measure or pitcher; cover small waiter with a clean sheet of paper, and on it lay sifted flour, fruit, citron and lemon peel cut into shreds, the almonds and spices, with brandy measured at hand; also get ready a large cake tin, by papering it inside with white paper and outside and bottom with four or five thicknesses of coarse wrapping paper, which can be tied on.
Having thus prepared everything and banked up fire to last, with addition from time to time of a shovel of coal, by which means you will not reduce oven heat, proceed to beat to very light cream the butter and sugar, adding eggs, two at a time, beating a little after each addition, until all are used; then put in contents of waiter all at once, with brandy; mix very thoroughly and smooth; put into prepared cake tin, smooth over the top, put plenty of paper on to protect it, bake eight hours, keeping oven steadily up to clear, moderate heat; watch carefully and you will produce a cake worthy of the occasion; remove from oven very carefully and suffer it to stay on tin until quite cold; next day ice it with thin coat of white icing, both top and sides; place in cool oven to dry the icing. Now spread a second coat of icing, which will prevent any crumbs or fruit being mixed up with the icing, when you are icing to finish.
Now with broad knife proceed, when first coat is dry, to ice sides, then pour icing over center of cake in quantity sufficient to reach the edges, then stop; decorate with vase of white, made flowers, etc., to taste.
White Icing:
The whites of four eggs, one and a half pounds white sugar dust, the juice of half a lemon, one-fourth ounce extract of rose.
Place the whites and the sugar in a bowl with the juice and extract; beat with a wooden spoon until, letting some run from the spoon, it maintains the threadlike appearance for several minutes, when used as directed.