Lafrance Flour Colonial Fruit Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups flour, lafrance
1/2 lb currants
1/2 lb raisins
1/2 lb almonds
1/2 lb citron
1/2 lb crystallized pineapple
1 lb candied cherry
1/2 lb english walnut meat
1/2 lb dates
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon clove
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups brown sugar
1 lb butter
6 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup strong coffee
1 cup dark molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 orange, juice and grated rind
1 lemon, juice and grated rind

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Sift and measure flour. Then sift four times. Wash currants and raisins and dry on clean cloth. Blanch almonds, peel, dry on clean cloth and chop. Slightly chop all other fruits and nuts, then pour all these ingredients onto a well-floured boare and sprinkle the spices over them. Wash your hands, roll them around on floured board until all are evenly coated in flour. Cream sugar and butter, then add beaten eggs and beat until mixture is smooth. Dissolve baking soda in coffee and blend with molasses; add to creamed mixture and beat well. Add fruits, salt, lemon and orange juice and rind. Cut in flour, pour into large oilpaper-lined (parchment paper) pan. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 3 hours.