white house cookbook (fruit cake circa 1887)
url: http://www.vintagerecipes.net/books/whitehouse/fruit_cake_by_measure_excellen.php
fruit cake by measure (excellent)
2 scant teacupfuls of butter
1/2 cupful of cooking molasses
1/2 cupful of sour milk
1 tablespoonful of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoonful of mace
1 wine-glass of brandy
1 level teaspoonful of soda
add to that nutmeg,
ground cinnamon , cloves, mace, the molasses and sour milk. stir all well
then put in the beaten yolks of eggs, brandy; stir again all thoroughly
and then add four cupfuls of sifted flour alternately with the beaten whites of eggs.
now dissolve soda and stir in thoroughly.
mix the fruit together and stir into it two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour; then stir it in the cake.
butter two common-sized baking tins carefully, line them with letter paper well buttered, and bake in a moderate oven two hours.
after it is baked, let it cool in the pan. afterward put it into a tight can, or let it remain in the pans and cover tightly. best recipe of all.