Adapted from The Ladies' New Book of Cookery: Practical System for Private Families in Town and Country by Sarah Josepha Hale. New York: H.Long & Brothers, 1852.

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup wine
2 1/2 - 3 Cups flour, measured after sifting
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 pint heavy cream or sour milk

Instructions

Modern Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar until light.
2. Beat eggs, add wine. Combine with butter and sugar mixture.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, and spices.
4. Add one-third of the flour mixture and half of the cream, then add one-third of the flour mixture and the remaining cream, and then add the remaining flour mixture, blending well after each addition.
5. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, pour in the batter, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or use a tube pan and bake for 70 minutes.

Hearth Method

1. Follow steps 1-4 in Modern Method recipe.
2. Pour batter in two 9-inch pottery pie plates or two round, straight-sided oven proof dishes of 8-9 inches in diameter. Bake for 1 1/4 hours in a moderate bake oven.

Yield: two 8-inch or 9-inch layers or one tube cake.

Taken from Old Sturbridge Village Cookbook