A Good Plum Cake

This recipe is taken from my grandmother's recipe book, and dates from about 1800.

Ingredients
Take a pound and a half of very fine flour well dried, a pound and a half of butter, three quarters of a pound of currants washed and picked, stone half a pound of raisins and slice them, 18 ounces of sugar crushed and sifted [sugar was then bought in blocks], 14 eggs and leave out the whites of half of them. Shred the peel of a large lemon very finely, 3ozs. candied orange, the same of lemon, a teaspoonful of beaten mace, half a nutmeg grated, a teacupful of brandy or white wine.

Method
Work the butter with your hands to a cream, then beat in the sugar, then whisk the eggs for half an hour and mix with butter and sugar, add flour and spices. When the oven is ready mix brandy and fruit and add to mixture. Send it to the oven, when it will require two and a half hours to bake.