Directions

 

Macerating the fruit and nuts. Turn the candied fruits into a very large mixing bowl, pour on boiling water to cover, stir about for 20 to 30 seconds, then drain thoroughly: this is to wash off any preservatives. Return fruit to bowl, add the mincemeat, nuts, liquors, instant coffee molasses, spices and salt; stir about. Cover airtight and let macerate for 12 hours (or longer).

Completing the cake mixture. Stir half the flour into the fruits and nuts, sprinkle over the baking powder and the rest of the flour, and stir to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together in a separate bowl until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla, and the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after the addition of each egg. Blend the egg-sugar mixture into the fruits.

 

Baking. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Butter your cake pans, line bottom with wax paper, butter that, roll flour around in the pan to coat interior, and knock out excess flour.

Turn the batter into the pan, filling I to within 1/4 inch of rim (and mold any extra cake mixture in a muffin tin). Bake in middle level of oven for 2 to 2 3/4 hours or longer, depending on size and shape of pan. Cake will rise about 1/4 inch, top will crack in several places and it is done when it shows the faintest line of shrinkage around edge of pan in several places; a skewer, plunged down into cake through a crack, should come out clean. Remove cake from oven and place pan on a rack to cool for 20 to 25 minutes; cake should shrink a little more from sides, showing it is ready to unmold. Turn cake upside down on rack and give a little shake to unmold it. Peel paper off bottom, and turn cake carefully right side up.

     

ITALIAN VERSION follows

Fruit Cake – Pane di Frutta Secca e Canditi

DOSI PER 1 PANE

Frutta e noci da macerare per almeno 12 ore:

1/2 kg frutta candita a pezzetti

1 hg mincemeat

150 gr frutta secca (noci,mandorle,etc.)

1/4 bicchiere di rum e cognac

1 cucchiaino di Nescafe’

1 cucchiaio zucchero scuro

un pizzico di ciascuna di queste spezie in polvere: cardamomo,chiodi di garofano,noce moscata,e allspice.

1/2 cucchiaino sale

Ingredienti secchi

1 tazza farina

1 cucchiaino lievito da torta

altri ingredienti

25 gr burro (optional)

2 cucchiai di zucchero (scuro)

1 uovo

vanilla

Macerazione

mescola la frutta a pezzetti col liquore, il caffe’,noci,1 cucch zucchero scuro e le spezie,lascia macerare in un ampio recipiente coperto con pellicola o coperchio sigillato almeno 12 ore.

 

Aggiungi farina e lievito alle noci e frutta e mescola bene. Batti burro sciolto e zucchero e poi l’uovo con un frullino. Aggiungi la crema ottenuta al resto della frutta.

 

Cottura

Prescalda forno a 180 gradi. Imburra e infarina la tortiera da plum cake e versa il composto per un’ora e mezzo o fino a quando il pane si ritira un po’ dalle pareti della tortiera. Aspetta una mezzoretta prima di toglierlo dalla teglia. Dura bene in frigorifero anche un mese e oltre.

NOTA : le spezie si possono trovare presso un negozio indiano o britannico.