Spiced Fruit Cake With Almonds And Citron

Ingredients

• 4 lbs flour, dried and sifted
• 4 lbs butter, washed to remove salt
• 2 lbs loaf sugar, pounded
• ¼ lb mace
• ¼ lb nutmegs, powdered
• 4 lbs currants, washed, picked, and dried
• 1 lb sweet almonds, blanched and thinly sliced
• 2 lbs raisins, stoned and halved
• 2 lbs citron, thinly sliced
• 30 eggs, yolks and whites separated
• ½ cup brandy

Method

1. 1 Prepare all ingredients: sift flour, wash butter, pound sugar, powder spices, clean currants, slice almonds, stone raisins, and slice citron.
2. 2 Break eggs and separate yolks from whites. Beat the whites to form froth and set aside.
3. 3 Cream the butter by hand. Alternately add flour, sugar, and the froth from the egg whites and yolks, mixing until the batter is very light.
4. 4 Stir in the mace, nutmeg, and brandy. Fold in the currants and sliced almonds.
5. 5 Butter a large mold. Layer the batter with the raisins and citron, repeating until all ingredients are used.
6. 6 Bake in a well-heated oven (350°F) for 3 hours. When risen and colored, cover with paper. Ice the cake after baking.