Two cups brown sugar, 2 cups hot water, 2 tablespoons lard, 1lb. raisins, cut once, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cloves.
Boil these ingredients for 5 minutes after they begin to bubble. When cold add 1 teaspoon soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water, add 3 cups of flour. Bake in 2 loaves, for 45 minutes in a slow oven.
Modern Equivalent:
2 ¾ cups (1 lb) Raisins, chopped
2 cups Packed Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Cloves
2 cups Boiling Water
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Hot Water
3 cups All-purpose Flour
Line two 8” x 4” inch loaf pans with parchment paper or grease; set aside. Chop raisins coarsely. In a medium saucepan, combine the raisins, sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt, cloves and boiling water. Bring to the boil; reduce heat to simmer the raisin mixture for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Combine the baking soda with hot water; stir into the raisin mixture. One-quarter at a time, stir the flour into the raisin mixture. Pour half into each prepared pan; smooth tops. Bake in centre of preheated 325°F oven until golden brown on top, firm to a light touch and a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes; turn out onto racks to cool right-side up. (Make-ahead: Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)
Makes 10 slices, easily cut in halves or thirds.
Recipe excerpted from Allied Cookery: British, French, Italian, Belgian, Russian (New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, The Knickerbocker Press, 1916) by Gertrude Clergue and Grace Clergue Harrison
