Fruit Cake

Name: Fruit Cake
Ingredients: 1 pound All-purpose flour (Originally 'Mill's number 1 wheat flour'.); 1 pound Large black raisins (Seeded.); 1 pound Currants; 1 pound Brown sugar (Originally 'red sugar'.); 1 pound Citron peel (Peeled and finely chopped.); 1/2 pound Butter (Originally 'pure butter'.); 1/2 pound Jaggery (Soft jaggery. Originally '0.5 seer' (approx 0.5 lb in this context).); 1/4 pound Almonds (Blanched and ground or chopped.); 1 ounce Nutmeg (Grated. Originally '2.5 tolas' (approx 1 oz). This is a large amount; adjust to taste if desired.); 2 fluid ounces Sherry (Originally '1 wine glass'.); 2 fluid ounces Brandy (Originally '1 wine glass'.); 10 whole Eggs (Fresh.); 2 tablespoons Butter (For greasing the mold (estimated).)

A rich and dense traditional Parsi fruit cake loaded with an abundance of dried fruits, nuts, and aromatic spices. This historical recipe combines the deep, caramel-like sweetness of jaggery and brown sugar with the warmth of nutmeg, sherry, and brandy for a complex flavor profile. Slow-baked to perfection, it develops a moist, tender crumb studded with currants, raisins, and citron peel, making it an ideal centerpiece for festive occasions.

Ingredients

1 pound All-purpose flour (Originally 'Mill's number 1 wheat flour'.)
1 pound Large black raisins (Seeded.)
1 pound Currants
1 pound Brown sugar (Originally 'red sugar'.)
1 pound Citron peel (Peeled and finely chopped.)
1/2 pound Butter (Originally 'pure butter'.)
1/2 pound Jaggery (Soft jaggery. Originally '0.5 seer' (approx 0.5 lb in this context).)
1/4 pound Almonds (Blanched and ground or chopped.)
1 ounce Nutmeg (Grated. Originally '2.5 tolas' (approx 1 oz). This is a large amount; adjust to taste if desired.)
2 fluid ounces Sherry (Originally '1 wine glass'.)
2 fluid ounces Brandy (Originally '1 wine glass'.)
10 whole Eggs (Fresh.)
2 tablespoons Butter (For greasing the mold (estimated).)

Instructions

1Blanch the almonds, wash them, wipe them dry, and grind or chop them finely. Break the jaggery, remove any impurities, and clean it. Break the eggs and beat them very thoroughly until frothy.
2Remove seeds from the large raisins. Wash both the large raisins and currants, wipe them, and dry them completely. Take half of the dried fruits and dust them with a little of the flour to coat. Mix the remaining half of the fruits with the brandy, sherry, and grated nutmeg.
3In a tinned vessel or large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using a cake beater or wooden spoon until soft and well-blended. Add the beaten eggs and cleaned jaggery to the mixture. Gradually mix in the remaining flour until fully incorporated.
4Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Add all the remaining ingredients (the flour-dusted fruits, the alcohol-soaked fruits, almonds, and citron peel) to the batter and mix until uniform. Grease a cake mold generously with butter. Fill the mold about three-quarters full with the batter. Bake in the slow oven for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until fully baked through and no longer raw inside.