Eshun'S Creole Christmas Cake

Name: Eshun'S Creole Christmas Cake
Ingredients: 2 cups chopped dried apricots; 2 cups dried cranberries or cherries; 2 cups chopped dried pineapple; 2 cups chopped pitted prunes; 2 cups yellow raisins; 2 cups Thompson raisins; 1 cup candied orange peel; 1 cup chopped dried figs; 1 cup rum; 1 cup brandy; 1 cup port; 1 cup Cointreau; 1 cup water; 2 teaspoons bitters; 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 cups unsalted butter, softened; 3 cups Demerara sugar; 8 large eggs, beaten; 3 cups self-rising flour; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

25 ingredients

1 steps

Ingredients

2 cups chopped dried apricots
2 cups dried cranberries or cherries
2 cups chopped dried pineapple
2 cups chopped pitted prunes
2 cups yellow raisins
2 cups Thompson raisins
1 cup candied orange peel
1 cup chopped dried figs
1 cup rum
1 cup brandy
1 cup port
1 cup Cointreau
1 cup water
2 teaspoons bitters
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
3 cups Demerara sugar
8 large eggs, beaten
3 cups self-rising flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1

{"0":"Combine fruit in a large pot. Stir in rum, brandy, port, Cointreau, water and bitters. Add cinnamon stick, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove fruit mixture to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for five days, tossing it once a day.","2":"Prepare cake pans. This is a large amount of cake and will fill eight gift- sized loaf pans, four 8-inch square pans or any combination of other sizes. Butter pans and line with parchment paper.","4":"Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.","6":"Beat together butter and sugar until well mixed. Gradually beat in eggs a little at a time, adding some of the flour if the mixture starts to curdle.","8":"Stir in remaining flour. Add fruit mixture with liquid to flour and egg mixture. I find it easiest to use your hands to do this. Spoon into prepared pans and smooth the surface. Loosely cover top with a double layer of parchment paper. Bake for about 2 hours for small pans and up to 3 hours for large ones. Test with a wooden pick. It should come out clean although the cake will be quite moist in centre.","10":"Cool pans on rack. Unmold and wrap with foil. Leave for a few days before cutting."}