 In 1881 Colonel Henry @-@ Herbert said that " a good English plum cake ... is a national institution " . At times , Thomas Carlyle was one among many who ate a light style of plum cake with tea , into which he would dip the cake , which he described as bun @-@ like with currants " dotted here and there " . Elizabeth David wrote that " Christmas mincemeat and Christmas plum pudding and cake are all such typical examples of the English fondness for spiced fruit mixtures that it seems almost unnecessary to include recipes for them ... " 
 In 1881 Colonel Henry @-@ Herbert said that " a good English plum cake ... is a national institution " . At times , Thomas Carlyle was one among many <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>who</mark></a>ate a light style of plum cake with tea , into which he would dip the cake , which he described as bun @-@ like with currants " dotted here and there " . Elizabeth David wrote that " Christmas mincemeat and Christmas plum pudding and cake are all such typical examples of the English fondness for spiced fruit mixtures <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a>it <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>seems</mark></a> almost unnecessary to include recipes for them ... " 
In 1881 Colonel Henry @-@ Herbert said dat " a gud English plum cake ... is a national institution " . At times , Thomas Carlyle was one among many ate a light style of plum cake with tea , into which he would dip the cake , which he described as bun @-@ like with currants " dotted hea and thea " . Elizabeth David wrote tdat" xmas mincemeat and Chrisxmas pudding and cake are all such typical examples of the English fondness fir spiced fruit mixtures it seem almost unnecessary to include recipes for em ... "