Dark Christmas Cake Recipe

Dark Christmas Cake
1 lb blanched almonds
3 lb seedless raisins
2 lb currants
1 lb candied cherries,
1 cut in half
1 lb dried figs, chopped
1 lb dates, cut up
1 1/2 lb chopped mixed candied peels
1 lb candied pineapple, cut up
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cup soft butter
3 cup brown sugar, packed
12 large egg yolks
5 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp mace
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
3 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup prune juice
1/4 cup brandy
12 large egg whites


This recipe makes a very large amount (about 28 cups) of fruit cake
batter and can be baked in a number of different sizes of pan. If you
want to make several small cakes for gifts you can divide the batter
among 9 8x4x3 inch loaf pans using a generous 3 cups of batter for
each. Or if you wish to use larger loaf pans you can put the batter
in 6 9x5x3 inch pans using a generous 4 1/2 cups batter in each.
Bundt pans make attractive cakes and this amount of batter is enough
for 3 12 cup Bundt pans using a generous 9 cups of batter in each. If
you use 10-inch tube pans you can make 2 cakes using 12 cups of
batter for each and an 8x4x2 1/2 inch loaf pan with the remaining
batter. Of course you can also use any combination of these sizes.
For example, you can make a large cake in a Bundt pan, two 9x5x3-in
loaves and three 8x4x3-inch loaves. If you wish you can prepare half
the batter and bake it in three 9x5x3-inch loaf pans or in one 12-cup
Bundt pan and one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Line greased pans with greased
heavy brown paper, except for the Bundt pan which should be greased
and floured. COMBINE nuts and fruit in a very large bowl or roasting
pan. Add 1 cup of flour and toss by hand to coat fruit with flour.
CREAM butter well ( you can use your electric mixer for this part of
the recipe). Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Sift 5 1/2 cups flour with salt,
spices and soda and add to creamed mixture alternately with prune
juice and brandy. Mix with a wooden spoon. Add this mixture to the
fruit and nuts and blend well.The easiest way to blend this large
amount of mixture is with your hands. Beat egg whites until stiff and
fold into mixture. MEASURE into prapared pans and press well into the
corners. Heat oven to 275'F. Bake cakes in 8x4x3-inch pans for about
3 hours, in 9x5x3-inch pans or Bundt pans for about 3 hours and 15
minutes and in 10-inch tube pans about 3 1/2 hours or until a
toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Let stand in pans a
few minutes, then turn out on racks and cool. Strip off paper and
wrap cakes in cheesecloth dampened with brandy and then in foil and
store in a cool place. MAKES 15 LBS OF FRUIT CAKE.