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Ingredients
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1 lb butter
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1 cup white sugar
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1 cup honey
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8 eggs
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1 cup cold strong coffee
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½ to ¾ cup cherry brandy
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2 tsp vanilla extract
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2 tsp lemon extract
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2 tsp almond extract
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¼ cup molasses
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4 tsp baking powder
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1 tsp baking soda
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2 tsp cinnamon
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2 tsp mace
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2 tsp nutmeg
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½ tsp salt
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4 cups flour
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1 lb almonds
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½ lb desiccated coconut (dry unsweetened coconut)
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1 ½ lb seedless raisins
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1 ½ lb currants
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1 lb glazed cherries (up to 1 ½ Ib)
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½ lb glazed pineapple
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1 to 2 cups canned strawberries (or frozen)
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Directions
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Cream together butter, sugar, honey and eggs. Add coffee, brandy and other
liquids. Add baking soda, spices, baking powder and flour. Add almonds
and coconut. Dredge fruit in a little more flour, then add fruit. Fold
in strawberries last.
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Put in greased and floured or paper lined pans, filling each ¾ full.
We use: an 8 square x 3 ½ deep Christmas cake pan; a 5 ½
square x 3 ½ deep Christmas cake pan; and a 9 round x 2 ½
deep spring form pan. We line these pans with brown paper and grease the
paper with Crisco®.
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Put a pan of water in the oven and bake at 350°F for ½ hour;
then reduce to 300°F and bake for an additional 1 ½ hours (5
½ square) and an additional 2 ½ hours (8 square and 9
round).
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Store in refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. Sprinkle with cherry brandy
every week. We use a total of 375 mL (i.e., a mickey) in the cake and
for sprinkling.
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The cakes should "age" in the refrigerator for a month or more before icing.
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