Bram Brack Soul Cakes

another version of Soul Cakes with fruit and yeast. Takes more work than the other Soul Cake recipe I posted. From the book: Barm Brack; From Theodora Fitzgibbon, A Taste of Ireland, London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 1944, 1994

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 4  cups flour
• 1  cup milk, room temperature
• 1 1⁄4 cups sultanas (white raisins)
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  cake yeast
• 1  cup dried currant
• 1⁄2 cup  candied orange peel
• 3⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1  egg

Directions

1. Sift flour, spices, and salt together, then rub in the butter. Cream the yeast with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the milk. Allow to froth.
2. Add the rest of the sugar to the flour mixture and blend well. Add the milk and beaten egg onto the yeast mixture and combine with flour mixture.
3. Beat well with a spoon or with the dough hook of an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until stiff but elastic.
4. Fold in dried fruit and peel, cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
5. Divide in half and place each in a greased 7” cake tin. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.
6. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 1 hour, or until it tests done.
7. Glaze top with 1 tablespoon sugar dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water and return to oven for 3 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack. Serve in slices, buttered. If stale, toast and serve buttered.