Nun's Cake

Learn about this recipe from our Historic Foodways staff, then try it at home.

The pound cake was the standard cake of the 18th century, calling for a pound of butter, a pound of eggs, a pound of sugar, and a pound of flour. In every kitchen, there were balance scales which allowed the cook to weigh the ingredients. To change the recipe, the cook needed only to adjust the ratio.

Learn how we make this recipe in our kitchens based on the 18th-century description below, then use our 21st-century translation to try the recipe at home!

18th Century

21st Century

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 cups cake flour
• 6 whole eggs plus 5 egg yolks
• 3 Tbsp. orange or rose flower water
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup of caraway seeds
• 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon

This version of the recipe is reduced by half.

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch springform pans.
2. In a 5-quart bowl using a heavy duty mixer, cream your butter until smooth.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the whites and put them in separate bowls. Put the yolks into the butter and mix thoroughly.
4. When the butter and eggs are well combined, slowly add the sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add 3 tablespoons of orange or rose flower water, 1/3 cup caraway seeds and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and mix well.
6. With a hand mixer or whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy. Slowly add 1/3 of your flour to the mixture, beat well, then add 1/3 of your frothed egg whites, beat well, and so on until the flour and egg whites are incorporated together to give you a good batter. The batter may seem a little heavy.
7. Divide batter evenly between your two pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 ½ hours. The last 10 minutes of baking time, turn off the oven and allow cake to finish off with the residual heat. Cake is done when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.