Mrs. John W. Fox

1 pound flour,

1 pound sugar, sifted,

1 pound butter,

12 eggs, beaten separately,

2 nutmegs,

1 small teacup of blackberry jam,

1 cup of dark molasses,

2 cups of brandy or whisky, 2 pounds raisins,

2 pounds currants, 1/2 pound citron,

1 tablespoon cloves,

2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 tablespoon mace,

1 tablespoon allspice,

1/4 pound figs, chopped fine,

1/2 cup of nuts,

1 small cup vinegar,

1 teaspoon soda,

1/2 pound candied orange.

Put the flour in a bread-pan and brown to a dark color. Do not burn it. Beat the eggs separately, then together. Cut the citron in very thin slices and dredge with flour. Dredge the fruits with flour and chop the figs and crush the nuts. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream, and add eggs alternately with the flour. Add molasses, jam, brandy, and spices, and then the nuts. Stir the fruits in lightly, and just before putting in the pan, add the vinegar, in which the teaspoon soda is stirred, and pour foaming into the mixture. Put in a layer of the mixture, then sprinkle the citron over it, then another layer, and so on, but do not put any on top. Bake slowly for 4 hours or longer. When cold, cover with icing flavored with a little citric acid.

Black Cake (No. 2)

Mrs. Henry C. Buckner

1 pound of browned flour,

1 pound of sugar, 11/4 pounds of butter,

13 eggs,

4 pounds of raisins,

2 pounds of currants, 1 pound of citron,

1/2 pint of whisky, 1 nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon,

1/2 teaspoon of mace,

1/2 teaspoon of cloves, 1 pint of acid cherry preserves.

Just before putting in the oven, stir in a small teacup of vinegar with 1 teaspoon of soda. Bake 4 or 5 hours in a moderate oven.