Christmas Cake (Prize Winner)

A competition fruitcake scaled for a large household: roughly 18 lb of batter and fruit before baking. The original assumes you know how to handle a rich cake, and gives neither pan size nor baking time.

• Scale firstThis is an enormous quantity, enough to fill seven or eight 9x5-inch loaf pans, or several large round tins. Halving or quartering the recipe is entirely reasonable; the proportions hold.
• Slow ovenConventionally somewhere around 275-325F, and for a cake this dense the lower end is safer. A rich fruitcake in a large pan will want three to four hours or more; test with a skewer at the centre rather than trusting a clock.
• Sweet milkSimply fresh unsoured milk, as distinct from buttermilk or sour milk. Whole milk is the right substitute.
• Soda and molassesThe 2 teaspoons of soda react with the acidity of the molasses, which both tempers it and provides what lift the cake has. Sift it with the flour rather than dissolving it in the milk, or the batter will start working before the fruit is in.
• NutmegsTwo whole nutmegs, grated, come to roughly 4 to 6 teaspoons. Pre-ground nutmeg at that quantity will be noticeably flatter.
• Butter measured meltedThree cups melted is about 1.5 lb of butter. Melt and cool it slightly before creaming with the sugar, or it will scramble the eggs.
• Mixed peelCandied citron, orange and lemon peel. Toss the raisins, currants, peel and nuts with a cup taken from the measured flour so they do not sink.
• Pan preparationLine the pans with two layers of parchment and, for the deepest cakes, tie a collar of brown paper around the outside. At this depth the edges will scorch long before the middle sets.
• KeepingCool completely, wrap in parchment then foil, and store in a tin. Cakes of this richness were made weeks ahead and improved for it; a monthly brushing with brandy or sherry is the traditional treatment.