Black Fruitcake
1 1/2 cup citron, cut into thin shreds 1 cup orange peel,
cut into thin shreds 3 cup candied pineapple, cut into thin
shreds 1 1/2 cup glaceed cherries, cut in half 4 cup
seedless raisins 2 cup sultanas 2 cup currants 1 1/4 cup
cognac, plus additional for brushing and for soaking
cheesecloth 2 cup filberts 3 cup flour 1 tsp. ground
cinnamon pinch of ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground mace pinch of grated nutmeg
2/2 tsp. baking soda 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter 2 cup
sugar (part brown sugar may be used) 6 eggs lightly beaten
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated
Combine the citron, orange peel, pineapple, cherries,
raisins, sultanas, and currants. Add 1 cup cognac to this
mixture, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Toast the filberts in a 350 degree over for 30 minutes.
Coarsely chop them or leave them whole, as you wish. On the
day you bake the cake, remove the fruit from the
refrigerator, sprinkle 1/2 c. sifted flour over it, and
blend the mixture well. Add the nuts and mix again.
Sift the remaining 2 1/2 cup flour, and then measure to
exactly 2 1/2 cups. Combine the flour with the cinnamon,
cloves, mace and nutmeg. Add the baking soda. Preheat the
oven to 275 degrees F. Line a pan or pans with wax paper or
brown paper. Best to butter the pan first. Use 9 inch bread
pans, 1 large square pan, or two 9 inch springforms.
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, grated
chocolate, and remaining 1/4 cup cognac. Blend all this very
firmly with the flour, which you should add a little at a
time. When it is perfectly blended, pour over the fruit and
nut mixture and mix well with your hands. If bread pans are
used, bake the cakes for 1 1/2 hours. If you use a large
springform, the cake should bake about 1 hour longer. Let
the fruitcake stand for 1 hour or more after it comes out of
the oven. Ease the cake out of the pan, carefully peel off
the paper, and turn top side up to finish cooling. Brush top
and sides with cognac. Wrap in a large piece of cognac-
soaked cheesecloth. Double wrap in aluminum foil and allow
to mature for at least 2 weeks before serving.
Yields 30-40 servings.
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