Categories: Cakes 
      Yield: 12 servings 
  
      1 c  Currants, soaked overnight 
           -in a tightly closed jar in 
    1/2 c  -Brandy 
      1 tb Sugar 
    3/4 c  Scalded Milk 
      1    Yeast Cake 
    1/4 c  Warm Water 
      1 c  Flour, unsifted 
    1/2 c  Butter 
      1 c  Sugar 
  2 1/4 c  Flour, sifted 
    1/2 ts Salt 
    3/4 t  Mace 
      1 ts Cinnamon 
      1    Egg, whole 
      1 ts Lemon Rind, grated 
      2 ts Lemon Juice 
 
---------------------------LEMON OR ORANGE GLAZE--------------------------- 
 
------------------------------RECIPE TO FOLLOW------------------------------ 
  
       To the scalded milk add 1 Tbsp. sugar; cool.  Dissolve the crumbled 
  yeast in warm water, and add to milk.  Add the unsifted flour, and beat 
  until well blended.  Let rise in warm place until it has doubled in bulk, 
  about 1 hour. 
       Cream butter and sugar until very light.  Drain brandy from currants. 
   Place sifted flour, salt, mace, and cinnamon in sifter.  Add egg to 
  creamed mixture and beat until light.  Stir in lemon rind and juice.  Add 
  yeast mixture and beat thoroughly.  Add currants, retaining the brandy for 
  later.  Sift in flour, add brandy, beat well.  Place in tube pan or 9x5 
  loaf pan that has been well greased.  Cover with a cloth and place in warm 
  place away from draft.  Allow to rise until doubled in bulk.  This mixture 
  rises very slowly and may take 4 to 6 hours to double in bulk. 
       Bake at 375ÜF for about 45 minutes.  Cool in pan briefly.  Turn out on 
  rack, allow to cool further.  Then brush with lemon or orange glaze (recipe 
  to follow). 
   
  Source:  The First Ladies Cookbook - 1969 . Chapter on Abraham & Mary 
  Lincoln 
   
  Posted by:  Sandy May 11/93