Aunt Hazel’s Black Fruitcake
Ingredients
2 cups (500 mL) seedless raisins
1 cup (250 mL) currants
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) seeded raisins
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) red maraschino cherries, drained and halved
1 cup (250 mL) blanched almonds, halved
1 cup (250 mL) cut-up pitted dates
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) finely chopped mixed peel and citron
1/2 cup (125 mL) cut-up candied pineapple
1 tablespoon (15 mL) finely chopped candied ginger
1/3 cup (75 mL) strong cold coffee
2 2/3 cups (650 mL) once-sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon (3 mL) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground mace
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground cloves
1 cup (250 mL) butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) packed dark brown sugar
6 eggs
1/4 cup (50 mL) molasses
Directions
Wash and dry seedless raisins and currants. Cut seeded raisins in half. Prepare almonds, dates, candied pineapple and candied ginger. Grease pans and line with 3 layers of heavy brown paper; grease top layer with butter.
Mix and sift twice and then sift into a large bowl the flour, salt, baking powder and spices. Add prepared fruit and nuts, a few at a time, mixing until they're separated and coated with flour.
In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in molasses. Add flour and fruit mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with coffee; combine thoroughly after each addition.
Turn batter into cake pans and spread evenly. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 1 to 3 hours, depending on size of pans. Let cake stand in pan until cold. Turn out, wrap well, and store in an airtight container in a cool place. After storing for a month, punch holes through the cakes with a long skewer. Pour dark rum or screech generously over cake. Let it absorb before rewrapping and returning to storage for aging.