Frances O'brien's Porter Cake

Total Time: 4 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 8 ounces butter (2 sticks)
• 8 ounces brown sugar
• 12 ounces stout beer (guinness is the authentic ingredient)
• 28 ounces dried fruit (such as raisins and dates. don't use candied fruit, it's too much like fruitcake)
• 20 ounces flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda, rounded
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice or 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, rounded
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, rounded
• 3 eggs, well beaten

Recipe

• 1 combine butter, sugar, & stout in a pan and bring slowly to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.
• 2 add fruit.
• 3 simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
• 4 remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• 5 grease 10" springform pan.
• 6 preheat oven to 325 degrees f.
• 7 mix flour, soda, & spices in a large bowl. make a well in the center.
• 8 add the beaten eggs & cooled fruit mixture to the flour.
• 9 stir quickly together, mixing well.
• 10 turn into pan and smooth top.
• 11 bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
• 12 let cool in the pan.
• 13 store in an air-tight tin.