Bará-din ká Cake

Ingredients

• 0.75 seer (approximately 700 g) best flour (Use the finest plain flour available. Three-quarters of a seer is roughly 700 g.)
• 0.25 seer (approximately 235 g) sifted white sugar (Sift the sugar before measuring to remove any lumps.)
• 0.75 seer (approximately 700 g) dried currants (Must be well-cleaned and completely dry before use. Pick over carefully to remove any stalks or debris.)
• 2 chittacks (approximately 57 g) raisins (Stone (de-seed) and chop the raisins before adding. Two chittacks is roughly 57 g.)
• 1 pinch pounded clove (Pound whole cloves using a mortar and pestle until a fine powder forms. Use just a little — this spice is strong.)
• 1 pinch mace (Use ground mace or pound a blade of mace. A little goes a long way.)
• 1 pinch cinnamon (Use ground cinnamon or pound a small piece of cinnamon stick.)
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg (Grate fresh nutmeg directly into the dry ingredients for best flavour. A little is all that is needed.)
• 1 lime (zest only) grated lime peel (Grate only the green outer layer of the lime — avoid the bitter white pith beneath.)
• 2 chittacks (approximately 57 g) almonds (Prepare as you wish — blanched and sliced or roughly chopped. Two chittacks is roughly 57 g.)
• 0.5 seer (approximately 470 g) butter (Use good-quality unsalted butter. This will be melted, so no need to soften it in advance.)
• 0.5 pint (approximately 285 ml) cream (Use full-fat cream for the richest result.)
• 0.5 pint (approximately 285 ml) wine (A sweet or medium white wine works well, in keeping with historical fruitcake traditions.)
• 1 splash brandy (Add just a little — a splash is sufficient. The original recipe specifies only 'a little'.)
• 1 splash rose-water (Add just a little rose-water for a subtle floral fragrance. Available in most Asian or Middle Eastern grocery shops.)
• 6 large eggs eggs (The yolks and whites must be beaten completely separately before adding to the batter.)
• 0.25 pint (approximately 140 ml) yeast (The original recipe calls for liquid yeast (brewer's yeast). If unavailable, use active dry yeast dissolved in a little warm water to make up the same volume.)
• 1 generous handful citron peel (Candied or preserved citron peel, chopped. Use plenty, as directed. Available in specialty food shops.)
• 1 generous handful orange peel (Candied or preserved orange peel, chopped. Use plenty.)
• 1 generous handful lemon peel (Candied or preserved lemon peel, chopped. Use plenty.)

Instructions

1. 1In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sifted white sugar, cleaned dry currants, chopped stoned raisins, almonds, pounded clove, mace, cinnamon, grated nutmeg, and grated lime peel. Stir everything together thoroughly so the fruits, nuts, and spices are evenly distributed through the flour. Set aside.
2. 2Separate the 6 eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another. Beat the yolks until they are pale and well combined, then beat the whites in a clean, grease-free bowl until they form soft peaks. Keep both bowls aside — they will be added to the wet mixture in step 3.
3. 3In a small saucepan over low heat, gently melt the butter into the cream, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the mixture to boil — you want it just warm enough to melt the butter fully. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly so it is warm but not hot (it must not scramble the eggs). Once cooled slightly, stir in the wine, the brandy, and the rose-water. Then stir in the beaten egg yolks, followed by the beaten egg whites, and finally the yeast. Stir gently to combine everything into one liquid mixture.
4. 4Pour the wet mixture gradually into the bowl of dry ingredients, a little at a time, beating vigorously as you go. Continue to beat the batter for a full hour — this is essential to develop the structure of the cake. The batter will be quite loose and wet, which is normal. Midway through beating, add the citron peel, orange peel, and lemon peel and continue beating until thoroughly incorporated.
5. 5Generously grease a deep cake pan or a cake hoop with butter, making sure to coat the sides as well as the base. If using a hoop (a ring mould with no base), set it on a well-buttered baking tray lined with baking parchment. Pour the beaten batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.
6. 6Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F / Gas Mark 2), which corresponds to a moderate oven. Place the filled pan in the centre of the oven and bake for 4 hours. Do not open the oven during the first 2 hours. After that, check occasionally — if the top is browning too quickly, loosely lay a piece of baking parchment over the top. The cake is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. 7Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool until it is nearly — but not completely — cold. While still slightly warm, pour your chosen icing evenly over the top of the cake. Return the iced cake to the oven, leaving the oven door open. Leave the cake there until it is fully cold and the icing has set and dried. The residual warmth of the oven with the door open helps the icing dry slowly without cracking or browning.