must continue to beat all the time,) and when all is in, stir the
whole mixture very hard, for near ten minutes.

Butter a large tin pan, or a cake mould with an open tube rising
from the middle. Put the mixture into it as evenly as possible.
Bake it in a moderate oven, for two, or three, or four hours, in
proportion to its thickness, and to the heat of the fire.

When you think it is nearly done, thrust a twig or wooden skewer
into it, down to the bottom. If the stick come out clean and dry,
the cake is almost baked. When quite done, it will shrink from she
sides of the pan, and cease making a noise. Then withdraw the
coals (if baked in a dutch oven), take off the lid, and let the
cake remain in the oven to cool gradually.

You may ice it either warm or cold. Before you put the icing on a
large cake, dredge the cake all over with flour, and then wipe the
flour off; this will make the icing stick on better--If you have
sufficient time, the appearance of the cake will be much improved
by icing it twice. Put on the first icing soon after the cake is
taken out of the oven, and the second the next day when the first
is perfectly dry. While the last icing is wet, ornament it with
coloured sugar-sand or nonpareils.


BLACK CAKE, OR PLUM CAKE.

One pound of flour sifted.
One pound of fresh butter.
One pound of powdered white sugar.