Martha Washington's Great Cake

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups golden raisins
• 1 cup currants
• 1 cup water
• 4 ounces candied orange peel
• 4 ounces candied lemon peel
• 4 ounces candied citron
• 3 ½ ounces candied red or green cherries or combination
• ¼ cup brandy
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 ¼ cups sifted unbleached flour
• ½ teaspoon ground mace
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons sherry
• Sherry or brandy for soaking
• Candied cherries for decoration, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Soak raisins and currants in water in small bowl overnight.
3. Combine orange peel, lemon peel, citron and cherries in mediumsize bowl, sprinkle with brandy; let stand overnight.
4. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch pans.
5. Beat egg whites in medium-size bowl with electric mixer until foamy white. Beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar slowly until meringue forms stiff peaks; reserve.
6. Beat butter, remaining sugar, egg yolks and lemon juice in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about five minutes.
7. Sift flour, mace and nutmeg onto wax paper. Stir into batter alternately with sherry, blending well.
8. Drain raisins and currants. Add to batter with candied fruits and brandy, mixing well.
9. Fold in reserved meringue until no streaks of white remain. Pour batter into pans. Place in a roasting pan on lowest rack of oven. Fill halfway with boiling water. Place cakes on middle rack of oven.
10. Bake for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees and bake 55 minutes longer until centers spring back when lightly touched with fingertip. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.
11. To store: wrap in sherry- or brandy-soaked cheesecloth; place in tightly covered containers for a month or longer. Pour more sherry or brandy over cake when cheesecloth dries out.
12. Garnish with candied cherries, if you wish.