Old Fashioned Fruit Cake Baked Until the Center Springs Back

Old Fashioned Fruit Cake Baked Until the Center Springs Back keeps the shopping list focused on raisins, golden raisins, and currants. It serves 5 pounds of cake.

Count on 30 minutes of prep, 2 hours of cooking, about 2 hours from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup currants
• 3 oz candied lemon peel chopped
• 3 oz candied orange peel chopped
• 8 oz candied cherries chopped
• 8 oz candied pineapple chopped
• 8 oz citron sliced, I omitted this
• 1 cup pecans chopped
• 1 cup almonds blanched, chopped
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour for coating fruit and nuts
• 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour for the batter
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon mace
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅔ cup unsalted butter softened
• ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
• 4 eggs separated into yolks and whites
• ⅓ cup molasses
• 3 tablespoons fruit juice or apple cider
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• ⅔ cup strawberry preserves I used my quick strawberry jam

How the cooking goes

1. Warm the oven to 250°F.
2. Spray and line a tube pan with baking paper. Use the bottom of the pan to trace the concentric circles and then cut them out to fit.
3. In a mixing bowl combine all dried fruits and chopped nuts. Toss with ⅓ cup flour and keep it to one side.
4. In another bowl, whisk together remaining flour, spices and baking soda. Keep it to one side.
5. In the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in another bowl using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar until lightened and fluffy.
6. Add the egg yolks one at a time and beat well. Add the molasses, fruit juice, and brandy. Beat well. Add the strawberry preserves and beat well. Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, being sure not to overmix. Fold through the fruit and nuts.
7. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.
8. Fold egg whites into batter.
9. Tip into prepared pan. It should be about ¾ full. Cover with heavy waxed paper or baking paper that extends about 1 inch over the edge. Tie tightly with kitchen twine, a large rubber band, or cinch it down with aluminum foil.
10. Place covered cake pan in the preheated oven and place a large roasting pan with about 1 inch of hot water under it. Do not place the pan in the water, this is not like a water bath.
11. Bake about 2 hours or until a cake tester comes out clean. After 1 ½ hours you removed the covering from the cake pan and allowed the cake to brown a bit.
12. Allow to cool 1 hour before turning out.
13. Soak a cloth in brandy and wrap the cake while still warm. Wrap in waxed paper or in plastic wrap. If desired, you can remoisten the cloth with brandy 1-2 times per month as the cake absorbs the moisture. You did this once a month for 3 months.

After it comes off the heat

Let the pan settle before you slice, so the crumb stays together. Cover leftovers once they are cool.

If you want another plate from Cakes, open Devil’s Food Cake with a Soft Crumb and Carrot Cake Baked Until the Center Springs Back.