Mrs. Dull’s Black Fruit Cake Recipe

Stir up your strength and come to help us!

Psalm 80:2b

 

This week I took out my great aunt Mary’s first edition copy of Mrs. S. R. Dull’s Southern Cooking. I cannot say for sure whether the recipe for Black Fruit Cake on page 254 is the one my grandmother used, but if it is then I grossly misrepresented her ingredient list in my preaching last week. The weight and bulk of the cake was due not to the flour, but rather a dazzling mass of dried fruit and blanched nuts. It is also possible that she used butter instead of suet, but Aunt Mary’s notes suggest animal fat was preferred. Aunt Mary also indicated that the basting liquor, contrary both to brandy and Mrs. Dull’s demure grape juice, really ought to be bourbon.

And so, because many of you asked, I present to you Mrs. Dull’s Black Fruit cake. Good luck!

Wishing you a thoroughly ripened Advent,

 

 

2 ½ lb flour

2 ½ lb sugar

2 lb butter (suet or lard)

28 eggs

1 ½ cup of Porto Rico molasses

2 tablespoons of soda in 2 tablespoons of water

6 tablespoons of cinnamon

6 tablespoons allspice

2 tablespoons mace

2 tablespoons grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons of cloves

2 tablespoons of vanilla

2 cups of grape juice or black coffee (pref bourbon)

12 lbs raisins (cut in ½, dredge in flour)

4 lbs currants (wash & dried)

3 lbs of citron (slices large as a thumb)

2 lbs dates (small pieces to suit)

2 lbs almonds (blanch & chop)

2 lbs pecans   (    ”              ”   )

1 lb crystallized cherries (pinapple?)

1 lb of candied orange and lemon peel mixed

 

Best to make in 4 deep tube pans. Makes 30 lbs.