Frances O'brien's Porter Cake

I got this recipe on a trip to Ireland. I believe that Frances got the recipe from the newspaper, but I'm not sure. She was astonished that I would think there was anything exotic about porter cake, but I had never had anything like it in the US. At a minium I make this at Christmas every year. It's an almost-fruitcake!

• Ready In: 4 hrs 15 mins
• Yields: 1 cake

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

Directions

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.