Ingredients

1 pound butter
2 C. light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2 pounds seedless raisins
3/4 C. almonds, blanched and chopped or cut into strips
9 eggs, separated
3 1/4 C. flour
2 tsp. mace
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 pounds currants
1/2 C. citron
1/2 C. candied peel, cut into strips

Cooking Instructions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and 1 C. of the sugar until light. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored and add them to the butter-sugar mixture. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold in a second C. of light brown sugar and add this to the first mixture. In a bowl, sift the flour, mace, cinnamon and baking soda; stir in the currants, raisins and almonds. Add the flour-andfruit mixture to the egg-butter-sugar mixture. Combine the citron and candied peel and set aside. Line two 12-inch round pans with waxed paper, buttered on both sides. Fill each pan 2/3 full, adding layers of citron and candied peel. Cover loosely with buttered paper and tie into place. Steam the cake for three hours and then bake it 1-1/2 hours in a slow oven (300 degrees) or bake it for 4 hours at 275 degrees without steaming. The cake is done when it is firm to the touch and a wire cake tester comes out clean and dry. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and remove the cake when nearly cool. Frost with a thin white icing and decorate with figures of birds, animals and flowers.
 
 
"Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?" (Luk 11:11)