AMISH CHRISTMAS CAKE

"Some people are born for Halloween, and some are just counting the days till Christmas." -Stephen Graham Jones

 AMISH CHRISTMAS CAKE

(makes about 7 or 8 small loaves.Actually I kind of did it by sight, instead of actual measuring. I used a medium pyrex bowl and just filled it up  till at the brim . That may not be  great for everyone. So I’ve included my estimation of what I used. You can’t go wrong, no matter what)

2016 xmas pics

 PREHEAT OVEN for 325 F. Get your foil pans ready. Sprayed and parchment paper lined.

 2 cups large seedless raisins, 2 cups dates, cut in half, 2 cups prunes, cut in half.

2 cups candied fruit ( thereabouts) ,      2 ½ cups sugar

½ bottle of wine,  etc. I used Blackberry wine. Use whatever you have on hand.

10 tablespoons margarine or shortening ( not butter)

 "Christmas isn't just a season. It's a feeling." -Edna Ferber

 BOIL the above ingredients in a large pot with about an extra cup or so of hot water. Boil 20 minutes. Then leave to cool ( completely) in the fridge.

 Takes a few hours. You could boil this in morning and then make up cake later in day.

 "Christmas is not just a season or rejoicing, but of reflecting." 
                                                  -Winston Churchill
 CAKE:

6 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 4 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp gr cloves, pinch salt,2 cups chopped nuts ( I happened to have walnuts . You can use whatever you have)

 Mix in the cooled fruit mixture. You might have to use your hands to do this. It will be sticky and VERY thick batter. 

 BAKING:  have ready small foil pans, sprayed with veggie spray and parchment paper. You can do in larger. But smaller is great. You can freeze them and take out just what you need. 

 "Christmas gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us - a time when we can look back on the year that has passed and prepare for the year ahead." - David Cameron

 BAKE at 325 for about 50 minutes. Test to see if done. Add time if  tester comes out covered in dough or is cakey. Should be clean. Every oven is different and you can adjust accordingly. I think with my convection oven it took about 1 hr. 15 mins. But that is a guesstimate. In the original recipe  it calls for 1 hr 15 mins for two big loaf pans. 

 COOL. BAG. FREEZE. Slices nice and even. Good tangy taste, but not too much.

Photographs 2016 and 2017