The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-12-21
Christmas Fruit Cake.

(By S. NJ. L)
The sooner the fruit cake is made
the better, SO plan your work that
you may make this great cake as
early as possible. One of the best
receipts that have yet found and
one that I have used with great sue
cess Is as follows:
One pound Of butter, l pound Of
sugar, light brown, 10 large eggs,
pound Of flour, teaspoonful Of salt,
teaspoonful of soda, 3 teaspoonfuls
of mace. l teaspoonful Of nutmeg, /
teaspoonful OF allspice, 2 teaspoon
fuls of cinnamon, u teaspoonful Of
cloves, l pound of, candied cherries,
pound of sultana raisins, I pound
OF seeded raisins, pounds Of cur
rants, / pound Of blanched sliced al
monds, 1 pound of citron, 1 pound Of
candied pineapple, 2 tablespoonfuls
of molasses, grated rind and juice Of
l orange and 1 lemon, l cupful Of
grape juice.
First prepare the fruit, cutting the
citron and pineapple into small pieces.
Leave the cherries whole. Wash and
dry the raisins and currants. Do this
several days before the cake is to be
made so that they will be thoroughly
dry. Blanch and slice the almonds.
Prepare the seeded raisins by pour.
ing boiling water over them and al
lowing them to drain. Year into
small pieces or cut with scissors.
Clean the currants by placing them
In colander and shaking flour over
them and rubbing it in carefully. Put
the colander into a pan of cold water
and rinse them until the water comes
off clear. Pick off the stones, dry
them in very cool oven or in the
sun. You will be surprised to see
how dirty the currants are.
The sultana raisins are the tiny
white raisins and are a great addition
to the cake if you can procure them.
If your grocer doesn't carry them in
stock perhaps you can persuade him
to send away for them. Prepare
them the same as the other raisins
Sift the flour twice; add the soda,
spices, grated fruit rind, nuts and
fruit, stirring we'll in order to dis
tribute the flour.
Cream the butter until very light,
using either wooden spoon or the
hand for the process. Some object
tC the hand, on the ground that it
is not sanitary, but If mothers hand
stirs the Christmas cake that always
makes it better. The hand also
blends the ingredients better and the
slight warmth of the hand creams the
butter more quickly than a spoon.
Add the sugar gradually, beating con-
stantly. Beat the eggs, whites and
yolks together until very light. Add
them little at a time to the creamed
butter and sugar. If the mixture
shows tendency to curdle, az it
sometimes does, add a little of the
flour, but do not add more flour than
is really necessary at this time. Next
add the molasses, flour, salt, soda,
spices and fruit, beating thoroughly.
Stir in the fruit juices.
Line cake pan with three thick
nesses Of paper, cut to tit bottom
and sides. Grease the paper with I'M
sailed fat, preferably oil, as butter
has tendency to make things stick,
owing to the salt in it. Let stand 81
hours to ripen before baking. This
cake is better if it is steamed be-
fore it is baked, a regular steamer
o. fireless cooker being used. Have
the water boiling when the cake pans
are put in and be very sure that the
water cannot come over the tops OF
the pans.
If the cake is made in one large
cake, it should be steamed five hours,
then baked in moderate oven for
| one hour to dry it a little. If two
or more pans are used, shorten the
time accordingly. The cake is, suf-
! ficiently baked when it goes back in
to place when pressed with the fin
ger. After the baking is completed,
| remove the cake from the pan by
loosening it round the edges with a
knife and slipping it out on a wire