WASHINGTON CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• 1 1/2 cups dried currants (8 ounces/225 grams) 12 servings Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes Yields: One 9- by 5-inch loaf, 9-inch round, or 9-inch tube cake, or four 5- by 3-inch loaves Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, 9-inch springform pan, 9-inch (9-cup) tube or Bundt pan, or four 5- by 3-inch (2-cup) loaf pans, line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, and grease again. Loaf ban lined with parchment. Sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Sifting dry cake ingredients over a mixing bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium, gradually add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Adding eggs to butter in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Total time for beating in the eggs is about 4 minutes. Adding eggs to butter in a mixing bowl. Add the cream, brandy, and vanilla. Adding wet ingredients to creamed butter. In 3 additions, fold in the flour mixture. Folding flour into wet cake batter ingredients. Stir in the raisins and currants. Stirring dried fruit into cake batter. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1¼ hours for a large loaf pan or springform pan; 1 hour and 5 minutes for a tube pan; or 40 minutes for the small loaf pans. Spreading cake batter into loaf pan. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the cake to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 1½ hours. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into slices. VARIATIONS: Double the recipe and bake in a 10- by 4-inch (16-cup) tube or Bundt pan for about 1¼ hours. Spicier Washington Cake: Omit the fruit and cloves, and increase the nutmeg to 2 teaspoons and cinnamon to 1½ teaspoons.