Revisiting Loaf Cake

Also for yesterday's tea, I once again tried making Elizabeth Loaf Cake from The American Matron: or Practical and Scientific Cookery (1851).

Previously, I made a full batch, using sour dough starter for the fresh yeast. This time, I used active dry yeast proofed in water, and made a half batch:

2 tsp active dry yeast in 1/4 cup (1/2 gill) water 
1.5 lbs flour
10 oz  sugar
10 oz  butter
2 large eggs
12 oz currants (substituted zante currants)
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup milk

I let the yeast proof; mixed the flour, sugar, and spice together; melted the butter; combined the yeast, butter, milk, and (beaten) eggs with the dry ingredients, and finally stirred in the currants. I set the batter/dough to rise for 1 hour, then baked at 325F for 1:45. I used a glass loaf pan lined in parchment paper.

The cake did not come out of the oven looking very pretty. The batter had quite filled the pans, and I really should have divided it into two, as well as giving it a slightly longer rise time. As a single loaf, this cake was dense, and not quite baked through the center. The ends, however, did bake fully and were well-received for both the texture and flavor.

Next time I try this cake, I'll probably divide this same amount of batter between two pans (or 3-4 if making a full batch, though this half-sized filled my largest mixing bowl). This will hopefully help with the baking time issue. Id' also like to see how it goes with a longer rise (2 hours?). Otherwise, the spice proportion and amount of currants worked really well. I'd just like to get it a bit prettier and a little less dense.