Rich Fruit Cake

Mince the fruit and soak in 1 cup rum with the spices, essences, nuts and 1/4 lb sugar. Mix these ingredients well, put them in a glass or earthenware jar, cover and allow mixture to steep for three weeks or longer. When ready to bake the cake, cream the butter and sugar well, and add the eggs beaten in one by one. Now add the fruit mixture which has been cooked over low heat with a cup of water for about 15 minutes, constantly stirring. This preliminary cooking of the fruit shortens the baking time of the cake and reduces the possibility of the cake burning in the oven. Stir in about 1/2 cup burnt sugar colouring to make the mixture light brown in colour. Add the flour sifted with baking powder and salt, last. Put the mixture into baking pans greased and lined with two thicknesses of waxed paper. Fill the pans, 1 inch from the top. Bake them in a slow oven (275 deg F.) for 2-3 hours according to the size. test with a skewer before removing them from the oven. As soon as the cakes are removed from the oven, prick them well and pour slowly over them a mixture of rum and port wine which the cakes will absorb. Allow them to remain in the pans 3-4 days, after which they may be covered with a layer of almond icing or marzipan, then iced.