
A historical dessert from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Add the fruit last, rubbed in a little of the flour.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
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Add the fruit last, rubbed in a little of the flour
Bake about one hour
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
The acidic coffee and molasses react with baking soda to create carbon dioxide, leavening the dense batter while adding deep, complex flavor. Coating the dried fruit in flour prevents it from sinking during baking by increasing friction and disrupting moisture transfer. The high ratio of sugar and fat to flour, combined with spices, creates a moist, tender crumb that improves with age as flavors meld and moisture redistributes throughout the cake.
This cake actually improves with age. Wrap the completely cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop and the crumb to soften. The cake can also be baked up to 3 days ahead and stored wrapped at room temperature.
Store the cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. The high sugar and fat content act as preservatives. For longer storage, wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
This cake actually improves with age. Wrap the completely cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop and the crumb to soften. The cake can also be baked up to 3 days ahead and stored wrapped at room temperature.
Store the cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. The high sugar and fat content act as preservatives. For longer storage, wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.