Posted by lorna-organic on Mon, Sep 1, 08 at 16:49
Old English Fruit Cake
(oven 275 degrees F)
This recipe requires the use of several large bowls for preparation. A large bread bowl is necessary to hold the finished batter, when all of the goodies have been incorporated.
1 pound butter
1 pound light brown sugar
9 eggs
2 tblsps. milk
1 pound regular white floor
2 tsps. mace
2 tsps. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2 pounds dried currants
1 pound seeded dark raisins
1 pound golden (sultana) raisins
8 oz. glace fruits (fruit cake mix)
8 oz. glace pineapple, but into bite size pieces
8 oz. glace green cherries, cut in half (optional)
1 pound whole pecans (be careful to check for shells before adding nuts)
approx. 2 cups of rum, brandy, or sherry
2 packages of cheese cloth
First sort your dried fruits to pick out any stems. Put all dried fruits into a colander and wash fruits. Use kitchen towel to partially dry fruits. Place dried fruits into large bread bowl, mix in glaced fruits, add 3 tablespoons liquor, mix well, then set aside. I usually prepare the fruits the night before.
Separate the eggs. Beat egg whites until stiff, adding half of the brown sugar, set aside. Cream butter , adding half the brown sugar, mix well. Beat the egg yolks until thick, beat yolks into butter mixture, along with the milk. Fold in egg white mixture.
Sift flour, baking soda, mace and cinnamon. Stir into butter mixture, then stir batter into fruit mixture by hand. This recipe creates a large volume of batter!
Grease and flour baking tins. I usually get 2 full loaf size cakes, 6 half loaf cakes, plus 2 minis from one recipe. Place pan of hot water in the bottom of a 275 degree oven for the purpose of creating steam. Put your cakes on the racks of the oven, and bake for one hour. Smallest cakes should be done in 50 minutes, continue to bake larger cakes until they test done with a toothpick. Largest cakes usually bake in 1-1/2 hours.
Thoroughly cool cakes on racks before wrapping each cake in liquor soaked cheese cloth. Wrap well in plastic and store in cool, dark cupboard. Allow cakes to ripen for at least six weeks. Cakes will keep well for several months. It is a good idea to re-wet cheesecloth with liquor every three months for long term storage.
