Almond fruitcake - victoria

Yield: 12 to 16 serv

Measure Ingredient
1 cup All-purpose flour
\N \N Pinch salt
2¼ cup Mixed golden and dark raisins (72 oz)
½ cup Chopped mixed candied orange and lemon peel (3 ozs)
¼ cup Finely chopped candied ginger (1 oz)
1 cup Unsalted butter softened
1 cup Plus 2 T sugar
4 \N Eggs (room temperature)
8 ounces Ground almonds (2 1/4 C),
\N \N Grated zest of 1 orange
\N \N Whole almonds for garnish

Butter deep 8x3-inch layer cake pan. Line bottom and sides with buttered waxed paper, allowing waxed paper to extend about ½ inch above rim of pan. Preheat oven to 300'F. In small bowl, combine flour and salt. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine raisins, candied peel, and candied ginger. Toss with ¼ C of the flour mixture until all fruit is coated. Set aside. In large mixer bowl, beat butter at medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, alternately with half the ground almonds, beating well after each addition. Gradually stir in remaining ground almonds and flour mixture. Fold in fruit and orange zest. Pour into pan, smoothing top.

If desired, decorate top with whole almonds.

Bake at 300'F for 1¾ to 2 hours until skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan set on rack 30 minutes. Gently loosen waxed paper from sides of pan with a knife. Remove cake from pan.

Peel off waxed paper. Cool cake on rack. Wrap cooled cake in brandy-soaked cheesecloth, then in foil. Refrigerate at least overnight before slicing.

Victoria/March/94 Scanned & fixed by Di Pahl & Gary Groeller Submitted By MICHAEL ORCHEKOWSKI On 11-21-94

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