Dark Rich Fruitcake Recipe #4626
This is a dark cake with spots of colour from the glace cherries. This recipe has been in the family for about 100 years now, and may be what you are looking for!
2½ hours |
SERVES 24
- 2 lbs dark raisins
- 1 lb raisins, seeded
- 2 lbs glace cherries
- 1 lb mixed glace fruit
- 1 lb mixed peel
- 1 lb almonds, halved
- 1/2 lb dates, chopped
- 1 lb glace pineapple rings, sliced into strips
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 1 teaspoon mace
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon clove
- 1 orange, juice and rind of
- 1 lemon, juice and rind of
- 1/2 cup rum (light or dark, depending on the flavour you prefer)
- 1 lb butter
- 2 1/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed (dark, golden will suffice)
- 12 eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
- 1 cup coffee, strong, cold
- Day One -Wash and scald raisins to plump.
- Drain and dry well.
- Place all fruit and almonds into a large bowl.
- Sprinkle spices over fruit and add the lemon and orange rind and juice. Stir in the rum and let stand overnight, stirring occasionally.
- Day Two -Cream butter.
- Gradually add sugar, bea ting well after each addition.
- Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add flavourings.
- Add 1 cup of flour to fruit and nut mixture. Toss to coat well.
- Add remaining flour alternately with cold coffee to the creamed mixture. Stir in fruit mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Fold into batter.
- Pour batter into 3 pans which have been lined with two thicknesses of brown paper and the top layer greased and dusted with flour.
- (We used tube/funnel pans.) Bake at 275F for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours or until a cake tester comes out clean from the centre. Cool cakes completely in the pans on cake racks.
- Remove from pans and peel off paper.
- Wrap cakes in cheesecloth (moistened with rum); then in foil.
- Keep in a cool place for four to six weeks to allow the flavours to join.
- NOTES: Grandma used to open the foils and re-moisten the cheesecloth at least once in the ripening process.
- (By drizzling in about 2 Tbsp rum There is note of timings for different fruit cake pans.
- (I think originally the recipe would make one each of the 4, 6 and 8 inch pans.) 4x4 - 2 1/2 hours 6x6 - 3 hours 8x8 - 3 1/2 hours or until tests clean - in a 2750F Oven.
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5 stars