Sally's Grandmother's Best Friend's Christmas/Wedding Cake
Makes 3 or 4 loaves
Ingredients
1 pound (450 g) candied red cherries (not maraschino)
1 pound (450 g) candied green cherries (not maraschino)
1 pound (450 g) seedless raisins
2 pounds (900 g) seeded Lexia raisins
1 pound (450 g) currants
1 pound (450 g) mixed peel
4 1/2 cups (1.125 L) all-purpose flour
1 pound (450 g) butter
2 cups (500 mL) white sugar
1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
5 eggs
1 cup (250 mL) medium-dry sherry, plus more for basting (optional)
1 cup (250 mL) strawberry jam, preferably home-made
1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cloves
1 teaspoon (5 mL) mace
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons (10 mL) vanilla extract
Additional sherry, for basting (optional)
Directions
Cut cherries into 3 pieces. Working in small batches, dust all
fruit well by placing fruit and some of the flour in a heavy freezer
bag and tossing well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, white and brown sugar;
add eggs and mix well. Add sherry, jam and remaining flour, baking
soda, all spices and vanilla. Add fruit. Mix well with clean hands.
Line 3 or 4 baking tins, size and shape as you prefer, with
parchment paper. Place a pan of warm water on the bottom shelf of
oven and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Fill pans to a depth of 21/2 to 3 inches (7.5 cm), or as you
prefer. Bake 60 minutes, then reduce heat to 325°F (160°C) and
bake for 60 minutes.
Reduce heat again to 300°F (150°C) and bake for another 60
minutes.
Total baking time 3 hours. (Cakes may be loosely covered with foil in
the last hour if they become too dark.) Add more hot water to the pan
in the lowest rack, as required, during baking. Cake is done when it
sinks in the middle or a wooden skewer inserted in middle comes out
clean.
Remove from oven, cool to room temperature and wrap each loaf in
2 or 3 layers of cheesecloth. Brush cheesecloth with 1 to 2
Tablespoons (15 to 25 mL) of sherry (depending on size of loaf --
enough sherry to moisten the cloth). Wrap well in plastic, seal in a
non-metal container (a plastic pail with lid works well), store in a
cool, dark place or in the refrigerator.
Unwrap and re-apply additional sherry every 2 weeks for 2 months.
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