Old-Fashioned Duten Cake

Directions

1. For the sponge take 1 quart and 1 pint of flour, 1 quart of warm water, 1 tablespoonful sugar, 1 tablespoonful lard, 1 cent's worth baker's yeast.
2. Melt the lard and sugar in the warm water.
3. Stir this into the flour, which must be sifted.
4. Lastly, stir in the yeast.
5. Beat up hard for several minutes and set to rise over night.
6. The next morning sift 2 quarts and i pint of flour in a deep bread tray with 2 tablespoonfuls of salt.
7. Into this mix thoroughly 1/2 pound roll butter and 1/4 pound lard.
8. Make a hole in the middle of the heap, into which put the following:— grated nutmeg, 3 cups sugar, eggs,sultana raisins and currants—washed and dried, the risen sponge.
9. Work this the same as bread.
10. Then divide into loaves, putting these into well-greased, round, deep pans.
11. Set the pans in a warm place (over the range, if possible), with a cloth thrown over them to exclude the air and dust.
12. Let rise from five to six hours.
13. Then bake in a moderate oven one hour, or until a clean straw, run through the thickest part, will come out clean.