Fruit Cake

* Exported from MasterCook *

Fruit Cake

Recipe By : Mrs. G.F.R. Jackson - Nantucket Island Cook Book
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
8 ounces butter
6 eggs -- separate out yolks
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice or any fruit juice
1 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound sultana raisins
1 pound seeded raisins -- cut in halves
1/2 pound currants
1/4 pound conserved cherries -- cut in pieces
1/2 pound chopped dates
1/4 pound any nut meats -- chopped in bits
1/4 pound grated citron
grated rind of 1 orange
1 teaspoon baking powder

Sift flour, reserving 1/2 cup. Add baking powder and spices to the 1 1/2 cups
of flour and sift again. Beat eggs separately, wash fruit and cut as
directed, drying between two towels. The nuts and fruit except Sultanas may
be put through the meat chopper using the coarse cutter. Dredge lightly with
the 1/2 cup of flour and mix thoroughly.

Cream butter and sugar, add beaten egg yolks, flour and liquid alternately.
Now stir in the fruit and nuts and fold in the egg whites which have been
beaten dry. The orange rind should be stirred into the fruit juice. Be sure
to mix all ingredients thoroughly. Bake in a well greased pan in a moderate
oven for three hours.

A perfectly steady heat is essential to success in baking fruit cake. If the
cake is steamed for half the time and finished in the oven it is likely to be
more moist. Stand pans in vessels containing water. After the cake is cooled
thoroughly pour over it 1/2 cup of good brandy which will sink in. Then wrap
in "cut-rite" paper and tie firmly and keep closed in tin until ready to use.
If it is kept for some time brandy in the same quantity should be added from
time to time as this fruit cake must be moist when cut. Use a very sharp
knife and cut paper thin.

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NOTES : This recipe is from an undated spiral-bound cookbook sold to benefit
The Old Peoples' Home, 115 Main Street, Nantucket, Massachusetts. I inherited
the cookbook from my 101-year-old aunt. I would guess the book was purchased
about 1950 when my aunt visited Nantucket to look up some family history.
There are a number of advertisements from local shops, many listing 3-digit
telephone numbers.

Formatted by C. Walden (and very nicely done, too!)
cranew@foothill.net