# Mrs. Beeton's Pound Cake

A Victorian classic brought into the modern kitchen — buttery, dense, and studded with currants, candied peel, and almonds with a whisper of mace.

_Dessert · British_

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 105 min · Total: 130 min · Yields: 12 servings

## Ingredients

- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 4 large egg (yolks and whites separated)
- 2 ¾ cups plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 8 oz dried currants
- 2 oz mixed candied peel (thinly sliced)
- ½ oz candied citron peel (thinly sliced)
- 1 oz blanched almonds (roughly chopped)
- ¼ tsp ground mace

## Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 170 °C (150 °C fan / 325 °F). Grease a 20 cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
2. Beat the 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup caster sugar together in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on medium-high speed for 4–5 minutes, until the mixture is pale and noticeably fluffy.
3. Separate the 4 large eggs. Add the yolks one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
4. In a clean bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites to soft peaks — this is the key to a lighter crumb than the original recipe.
5. Sift the 2¾ cups plain flour and 0.25 tsp ground mace together, then fold them into the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the whisked egg whites. Use a large spatula and a gentle hand to keep as much air as possible.
6. Fold in the 8 oz dried currants, 2 oz mixed candied peel, ½ oz candied citron peel, and 1 oz blanched almonds until evenly distributed.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Give the tin a gentle tap on the counter to settle any air pockets.
8. Bake immediately in the preheated oven for 90–105 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the top is deep golden brown.
9. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and peel away the parchment. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

## Tip

> Get the oven fully up to temperature before the tin goes in — the initial blast of heat sets the batter quickly and stops the currants from sinking to the bottom during the long bake.

Tags: comfort-food, british, baking, make-ahead, vegetarian

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/mrs-beeton-s-pound-cake
Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10136