Recipe: Danish Dark Christmas Cake Julekage

Dark Christmas Cake - Brun Julekage

1 pound soft butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup dark molasses
12 eggs -- beaten
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup cream
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
4 ounces red wine
4 ounces brandy
1 1/2 pounds raisins
1 1/2 pounds currants
1/2 pound candied orange peel
1/2 pound candied lemon peel
1/2 pound candied pineapple
1/2 pound candied cherries
2 pounds almonds -- shelled
1 cup flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add molasses, then the eggs. Add the flour. Dissolve the baking powder in the cream and add to the mix. Add spices, wine and brandy.

Chop the fruits and nuts and dredge with extra cup of flour. Fold into the batter. Line cake pans with brown paper, and fill 2/3 full. Put cake pans into shallow pans 1/4 filled with water. Bake slowly 4 hours in a preheated 275 oven. Cool thoroughly. Remove brown paper. To store, wrap in wine- or brandy-soaked cloth. Keep the cake moist by adding liquor now and then.