Recipe(tried): Nan's Best Dark Fruit Cake - It's having a drink of dark rum while baking dark fruit cake tradition...Enjoy the story and recipe!

Well here is the best fruit cake recipe I've ever made!

But just a small thing....now here in Nfld. Can. (the most easterly part of Canada)
all our ancesters come from either Ireland or England and we've known to have a few strange customs!

Now.....Colleen... before you bake this cake, you must swear to carry on my irish (Nfld.)family tradition.....

Now first you must pour yourself ( and your baking friends) a drink of rum and toast to the irish!!!!!! Only one though.....because remember you still have to bake that cake...ha..... Next, when the cake is ready to go into the oven, you must remove your wedding ring, if you have one, and make the sign of the cross three times over the cake while standing over the oven. Only then can you close the oven door. My mother and grandmother used to say this would bring good luck to its baking. P>S. You can have that second drink now!.......

Now for the cutting of that first slice of cake....

With my children when they were very young, we would take them out into the woods on a sled to cut down a tree. Once we cut the tree, we would sit down in the woods and have that first piece of Christmas dark fruit cake and some hot apple cider. We'd all oooooh and aaaah and say this was certainly the best this year.......but......well.....we'd say that every year......

NAN'S BEST DARK FRUIT CAKE

3 cups seedless raisins
3 cups sultana raisins
1 cup chopped glace cherries,
1 cup dates, chopped
1 cup chopped nuts (that have been lightly toasted in the oven)..lots of flavor
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup jam....strawberry is best
6 eggs
1 cup of dark rum
1/2 cup molasses

With 3/4 cup of the dark rum, pour over chopped fruit and nuts. Cover and let soak for at least 48 hours. The fruit should be stirred once a day or so.
Keep remaining rum for after baking directions....see below

Stir flour salt, baking soda and spices together Set aside. In separate bowl, Cream shortening and brown sugar together till fluffy. Add eggs and beat one at a time. Add molasses, jam and mix well. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in fruit

Prepare your round fruit cake pan by oiling and line pan with paper. Oil and flour again lightly. Ensure the top of the paper is about 1 inch or so above the top of the pan.

Fill prepared pans 2/3 full.

Bake in a slow oven 300 F. for 2 hours or so. Place a shallow pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven during baking. This will ensure the cake stays moist. Remove this pan of water during the last hour of baking.

Cool completely before removing paper.

Storing and mellowing of fruit Cake:
Wrap a cheese cloth that has been soaked in the remaining 1/4 cup of rum over the cake, covering it completely. Next wrap the cake and cheesecloth in aluminum foil wrap. Place in a cool place. Taste of cake is best when stored for 4 weeks or so!

I've often brushed egg white over the cake, rolled out almond paste and layed it over the top and sides of cake. I then ice it. Everyone raves!!!

NOTE: I've often doubled the recipe for a larger cake.

Enjoy!