Real Old-Fashioned Fruitcake

Ingredients

• 0.1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 3 tablespoons brandy divided
• 0.5 cup butter 
• 0.5 cup candied citron diced
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses dark
• 1 cup currants dried
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 2 teaspoons flour all-purpose
• 3.5 ounces flour all-purpose
• 0.3 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.1 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 0.3 teaspoon mace 
• 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg whole grated
• 2 cups raisins 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 cup sugar 
• 5 cups water hot

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• wire rack
• plastic wrap
• loaf pan
• baking pan
• aluminum foil
• measuring cup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 25
2. Pour water in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; place pan on bottom rack in oven.
3. Coat an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 teaspoons flour.
4. Combine raisins, currants, citron, and 2 tablespoons flour, tossing well to coat; set aside.
5. Lightly spoon 3/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.
6. Combine 3/4 cup flour, nutmeg, and next 5 ingredients (through cloves), stirring with a whisk.
7. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
8. Remove from heat; add sugar, stirring with a whisk. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons brandy, molasses, and eggs.
9. Add flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Gradually stir in fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pan; sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles.
10. Bake at 250 for 2 hours.
11. Remove pan of water from oven; bake cake an additional 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
12. Brush with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons brandy. Cool in pan 1 hour on a wire rack. Loosen cake from sides of pan with a knife.
13. Remove cake from pan; cool completely. Wrap cake in plastic wrap; wrap cake in wrap with foil. Chill 24 hours before serving.