Election Day Cake!

David and I recently purchased a 2009 Old Farmer's Almanac (OFA). After finding a recipe in the almanac for "Election Day Cake," I had to try it. According to the OFA, the recipe dates back to the 1770s. OFA mentions that this yeasted fruitcake w/ sugared icing is closely associated w/ New England.

Being a yeasted cake, it smelled very bready and wonderful during baking. It would have been ideal if I could have served it immediately after baking...however, 21st century schedules being not so conducive...I had to make the cake the previous day.

The cake was already starting to dry out by the next day (please refer to my next post, "President-Elect Obama Bread Pudding." My neighbors and friends were all too polite and excited about the election results to let it bother them on Tuesday evening.

Election Day Cake recipe follows

2 packages active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar

4 1/2 cups sifted flour, divided

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 eggs

2/3 cups raisins

2/3 cup currants

1/4 cup chopped citron (we substituted dried & reconstituted pineapple...a nod to those Hawaiian roots!)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Icing:

1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

milk or cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

dash of salt

For cake: In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast ont he warm water; stir to dissolve. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of flour and beat well by hand, or for 2 minutes with an alectric mixer at medium speed. Cover and let rise ina warm place until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Ina separate bowl, cream the margarine and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside. Sift the remaining 3 cups of flour with the salt, cinnamon, cloves, mace and nutmeg. When the yeast mixture is bubbly, add the eggs to the creamed margarine and sugar and beat well. Combine with the yeast mixture. Add the four mixture, a little at a time, beating with a spoon after each addition. Beat until smooth.

Stir in the raisins, currants, citron and nuts. Pour into a well-greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Cover and let rise ina warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 1 hour. Remove the cake from the ovena nd cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a rack to finish cooling. While slightly warm, spread with confectioners' sugar icing.

For icing: In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar with enough milk to make a mixture of spreading consistency. Add the vanilla and salt and stir until smooth.