My mother makes about 20 of these (or more) every year and gives them out as gifts. She makes them in August and September so they can settle in order to be delicious by Christmas. They last about a year as long as you keep them well “fed” with rum or brandy throughout the year. How to do so will become obvious when you read the recipe.
Ingredients:
3/4 pound of butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
four eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 ounces each of walnuts, almonds and pecans
1/2 cup diced pineapple (optional)
1/2 pound each of green and red candied cherries (optional)
1/2 pound currants
1 1/2 pounds mixed raisins
1/4 cup of rum
Method:
Soak raisins and currants in the rum while preparing dough.
Cream the butter and the sugar until they are white and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each one.
Add all but 1/4 cup of flour and the baking soda and beat it in well.
Mix in the nuts, the pineapple (if using) and the cherries (if using).
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of flour over the mixture, pour the fruit and rum mixture on top of the sprinkled flour and then stir it all in. This will ensure the raisins (which are now wet) are evenly spread through the dough. If you don’t want to use rum, you can soak the raisins and currants in 1/4 cup of strong tea.
Completely line two round, deep cake tins (about 6 inches deep and 9 inches in diameter) with brown paper or baking parchment.
Spoon the mixture into the tins and bake in a preheated oven at 275 degrees F (that’s about 150 degrees C) for three hours.
Cool the cakes completely and then wrap them first in a cheesecloth or muslin cloth that is completely soaked in rum (or tea) and then warp in greaseproof paper and then again in aluminium foil. THEN put the cake in a tin if you have one (I think this is to keep the mice from getting it. They usually try to come in at that time of year!). Every month or so you want to undo the cake, take off the muslin, soak it in rum, and wrap the cake up again.
My mother does not like icing so she does not ice these cakes. You can ice them of course with the traditional layer of marzipan and royal icing.
Here is my Mum’s recipe – certain similarities…At LEAST six weeks prior to baking, which is usually in October, combine 1lb each of:
chopped raisins,sultanas, currants in a large jar (The old fashioned sweet jars are good) cover with red wine and either brandy or rum.
On the baking day:
Grease a 10 inch tin with butter, line with a buttered double layer of greaseproof paper, which should stand well above the tin. Line the outside of the tin (secured with string) with a double layer of brown paper, as high as the greaseproof paper inside. (This may be done after filling the tin)
Sieve together 12 oz self raising flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 dessertspoon mixed spice, 1 dessertspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
Beat 8-10 oz soft brown sugar (depends on your taste) in a large bowl with 12 oz unsalted butter till pale, fluffy and creamy (Grandma still insists it be done by hand!). Add the grated rind of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (not essence, please), 2 teaspoond almond essence.
Fold in 8 eggs, one at a time, with a spoon of the flour mixture. Add rest of flour mixture and fold in.
Drain fruit from wine and add to mixture with 1 oz chopped crystalised angelica, 8 oz chopped crystalised citrus peel, 8 oz chopped glace cherries, 4 oz chopped skinned almonds, 4 oz ground almonds.
If the mixture is too dry add the wine from the jar, or a little brandy or a little milk. Spoon into the tin, smooth over so there is quite a large dip in the middle.
Bake on the shelf below the centre one at 300 deg F (150 deg C) for an hour and a half. Then cover the tin with a double layer of brown paper and continue baking at 250 deg F (130 deg C) for 3 – 3 1/2 hours. A bowl of water on the floor of the oven can be used to keep it moist.
Watch carefully towards the end it must not dry out – the usual test with skewer.
Leave in the tin overnight to cool. Wrap in in several layers of greaseproof paper, then in foil and then in an old sweet tin which is sealed with sticky tape.
Six weeks before Christmas (or birthday, or wedding) unwrap the cake, prick all over and pour 4 tablespoons brandy and rewrap and reseal as above.
A cake as described above was eaten three years after making but was moistened with brandy or rum every 3 or 4 weeks or so as above.
Thank you for that! It looks amazing!