British Christmas Cake

Ingredients

 * 2 lbs mixed dried fruit
 * 4 oz glace cherries
 * 4 oz candied fruit
 * 3 oz blanched almonds
 * 10 oz plain flour
 * 1 pinch salt
 * ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
 * 1 tsp mixed spice
 * 4 eggs
 * ½ tsp flavoring (vanilla, lemon)
 * 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
 * 8 oz butter
 * 8 oz soft brown sugar
 * 1 whisky to soak fruit
 * 250 ml milk (to mix)

Directions

 * 1) Find a 9-inch cake pan at least three inches deep; grease it, and line the bottom and sides with a double thickness of greased baking parchment.
 * 2) Tie folded brown paper or newspaper around the outside of the pan.
 * 3) The paper is insulation, to keep the sides of the cake from scorching as it bakes.
 * 4) Set oven to 320 – 350°F: have folded paper to stand the pan on when baking—place low in oven.
 * 5) Pick over the dried fruit, removing any stems, etc.
 * 6) Wash, drain well and spread over a cloth on a tray to dry.
 * 7) When dry, put in a bowl and pour a small wine-glass of spirit over it.
 * 8) Cover well and leave overnight.
 * 9) Next day, add chopped peel, blanched chopped almonds, and cherries minced and drained.
 * 10) Mix thoroughly.
 * 11) Sift together the flour, salt, soda and spice.
 * 12) Beat the eggs well with the molasses and flavoring.
 * 13) Put the butter into a large warmed bowl and beat until soft; then add the Sugar and beat until light and creamy.
 * 14) Beat in the egg mixture, about a sixth of it at a time, then fold in half the flour mixture.
 * 15) Add remainder of the flour to the fruit and mix well.
 * 16) Add fruit to creamed mixture and fold in well.
 * 17) Put into pan and bake for about 3½ to 4 hours or until done.
 * 18) If top of cake is browning too fast, cover with a few thicknesses of paper.
 * 19) Reduce the oven heat slightly every hour—about 10 degrees.
 * 20) Test with skewer for doneness.
 * 21) Keep the paper wrapped around the cake in place until completely cooled, so that the cooling takes place slowly.
 * 22) After completely cooled, invert the cake, lift the baking parchment off the bottom, and sprinkle the cake generously with the spirit of your choice.
 * 23) Wrap well in foil, put in a sealed tin, and keep in a cool place (not necessarily refrigerated).
 * 24) The cake benefits from occasional unwrappings and sprinkling with more spirit.
 * 25) It takes about 2 months to achieve maximum "mellowness".