Sourdough Fruit Cake

This recipe is an adaptation of an old Russian-American Fruit Cake recipe from Alaska.

1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups currants
3 cups mixed candied fruits and peels
1 cup hard cider or California sherry, Muscatel or Port or brandy
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup sourdough sponge (basic recipe)
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt

Rinse, drain and coarsely chop raisins. Rinse, drain and pick over currants. Chop candied fruit and peels. Combine all fruits with cider, wine or brandy. Cover and let stand overnight.

Cream sugars, shortening and spices together until fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in sourdough sponge. Combine with fruit mixture and almonds.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt together into batter and mix thoroughly. Turn into 2 (9 x 5 x 3-inch) loaf pans which have been lined with heavy brown paper and greased. Bake below oven center in very slow 275 degrees F oven about 2 1/2 hours.

Remove from pans, cool on wire racks before removing paper. Spoon 2 to 3 additional tablespoons of wine or hard cider over each cooled loaf before storing. Wrap in foil and refrigerate for keeping and before slicing.

Makes 2 loaves.