Traditional Canadian Christmas Cake Food

TRADITIONAL CANADIAN CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Place all fruit in large bowl; add bourbon and soak for 2-4 hours
• Preheat oven to 300°F and grease two 9 x 5 loaf pans 2 1/2 inches deep or five 5 3/4 x 3 pans 2 inches deep
• Line bottoms with parchment paper; butter it (the original recipe was waxed paper)
• Cream together butter and brown sugar; beat in the eggs.
• Sift all dry ingredients; beat into butter mixture
• Add molasses and brewed black coffee or espresso to mixture; combine well
• Fold in the nuts and bourbon soaked in fruit
• Carefully pack the batter into the prepared pans almost to the top (I used an offset spatula to finish the tops of each cake)
• Place pans on centre rack of oven in a bain marie (place pans in a larger pan and pour hot water halfway up the sides); bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours, or until toothpick comes out clean (the small cakes took 50 minutes, so watch carefully after 45 minutes)
• If the tops brown too quickly, place foil over the top
• Cool 30 minutes, then remove and set on wire rack
• Wrap carefully in a triple layer of cheesecloth that has been soaked in bourbon
• Seal tightly in aluminum foil and store in a cool dry place until the holiday season
• Once a week, remove foil, and brush additional bourbon onto the cheese cloth
• The longer it is stored, the more times it is dowsed, the more pungent and flavourful it becomes.

CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine cherries, citrus peel, raisins, currants, dates, and almonds. Stir in brandy; let stand 2 hours, or overnight. Dredge soaked fruit with 1/2 cup flour.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease an 8x8x3 inch fruit cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease again. In a small bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking soda, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter until light. Gradually blend in brown sugar and eggs. Mix together molasses and apple juice. Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture, making 4 dry and 3 liquid additions. Fold in floured fruit. Turn batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Remove from pan, and lift off paper. Cool cake completely, then wrap loosely in waxed paper. Store in an airtight container.