Coffee Cake.
5 cups flour, dried and sifted.
1 cup of butter.
2 cups of sugar.
1 cup of molasses.
1 cup made black coffee—the very best quality.
½ pound raisins, seeded and minced.
½ pound currants, washed and dried.
¼ pound citron, chopped fine.
3 eggs, beaten very light.
½ teaspoonful cinnamon.
½ teaspoonful mace.
¼ teaspoonful cloves.
1 teaspoonful—a full one—of saleratus.
Cream the butter and sugar, warm the molasses slightly, and beat these, with the spices, hard, five minutes, until the mixture is very light. Next, put in the yolks, the coffee, and when these are well mixed, the flour, in turn with the whipped whites. Next, the saleratus, dissolved in hot water, and the fruit, all mixed together and dredged well with flour. Beat up very thoroughly, and bake in two loaves, or in small round tins.
The flavor of this cake is peculiar, but to most palates very pleasant. Wrap in a thick cloth as soon as it is cold enough to put away without danger of “sweating,” and shut within your cake box, as it soon loses the aroma of the coffee if exposed to the air.