A recipe...from the postcard winner!

Judy won my postcard giveaway and was kind enough to share her favourite Christmas recipe with all of us.  She says it was her Mom's recipe and 'is the best'.  Enjoy!

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Mom’s Boiled Dark Fruitcake                         3 hours                 oven 275

Step 1

Put the following ingredients into a saucepan & simmer about 15 minutes:

1 cup brown sugar                                           1 tsp. Allspice

1 lb. Raisins                                                         1 tsp. Cloves

1 lb. Currants                                                     1 tsp. Cinnamon

½ lb. Dates (chop up)                                     3 cups boiling water

½ cup molasses

After above has simmered, add ¾ cup butter/margarine (I use margarine) & a jigger of dark rum or whiskey to the mixture. Dark rum is best!

Cool completely. (I usually do this one day & the rest the next day)

Step 2

Add 3 eggs after mixture is cold. Put in a large bowl to complete the following steps:

Step 3

Add the following to the cold mixture:

2 tbl. Marmalade

2 tbl. Jam or applesauce (I use jam)

¼ lb. Walnuts (if omitting nuts, add extra mixed fruit)

1 pk. Cherries – 8 oz

1 pk. Mixed fruit – 8 oz

Step 4

Combine the following dry ingredients:

3 ½ cups flour

1 tbl. Cocoa

1 tbl. Instant coffee

1 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Baking soda

Step 5

Mix everything together & bake.

I use a tube pan, lined with wax paper. It’s important to bake at 275 & no higher. Test for baked cake by inserting a wooden skewer into cake – if a bit sticky add another 5 minutes to the time. Put a small pan/bowl of water in the oven when baking cake – adds moisture. Let rest in pan no longer than 5 minutes, turn out on cooler. Cool completely. Cakes freezes well. Wrap in plastic wrap, then in foil wrap.

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Thank you Judy!
EDITED TO ADD: You can see a picture of Judy's 
wonderful cake HERE.  

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And just to prove that things are not
slacking off here at Chez Magpie...

Butter tarts - lots of them!
Ready to go in tins for Christmas giving.

Today your quote is from another anonymous source..."Some things are just wonderful, like friendship and chocolate cake"