Scripture Cake

I adapted this recipe from Jane Grigson's British Cookery (unfortunately out-of-print). I use French Tart's excellent recipe for mixed spice.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 1 9-inch cake

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb raisins (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 1⁄2 lb dried fig, trimmed and quartered (approximately 1 1/3 cups)
• 1⁄2 lb unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1  tablespoon honey
• 3  eggs
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon mixed spice
• 2  ounces  sliced almonds (approximately 1/3 cup)
•  milk, as needed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300Ëš Fahrenheit. Place the raisins and figs in a large bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Set aside. Grease a 9”-round springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar then beat in the honey. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the flour, a cup at a time, adding the salt, baking powder and mixed spice with the last cup of flour. Don’t overmix.
3. Drain the raisins and figs then gently stir into the cake batter. Stir in the almonds, as well. I found that the dampness from the soaked fruit was enough liquid to make the cake batter perfectly moist. However, if your batter is too stiff, add milk (about a tablespoon at a time), to thin it out.
4. Drop the batter into the cake tin (you’ll probably want a wooden spoon or spatula for this), then smooth out the surface of the batter. Bake in the middle of the oven 1 ½ to 2 hours. The cake is ready when a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Cool the cake in its tin on a rack for about ten minutes, then remove the cake from the tin to cool completely.