Ingredients

  • Cake
  • 1 lb butter
  • 1 lb light brown sugar
  • 8 eggs
  • 5 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened grape juice
  • 1/3 cup cocoa, dissolved in
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup coffee
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 1 cup blackberry jam
  • 2 oranges, peeled and cut up into small pieces
  • 1 1/2 lbs raisins
  • 1 lb diced dates
  • 1 lb chopped walnuts or 1 lb pecans
  • 1/2 cup flour, to dredge fruit
  • Filling
  • 4 cups sweet cream
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 lbs brown sugar
  • 1 lb butter
  • 1 lb diced fig
  • 1 1/2 lbs raisins

Method

  • For cake: Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, and mix.
  • Combine all dry ingredients and then combine all wet ingredients, except jam, in separate bowls.
  • Add dry and wet ingredients alternately to creamed mixture.
  • Add jam and mix well.
  • Lightly dredge fruit with 1/2 cup flour, shake off excess flour and fold into batter.
  • Fold in nuts.
  • Cook in 4 greased and floured layer pans at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
  • Fill and ice with filling below.
  • Makes 2 two-layer cakes.
  • For filling: Cook sugar, cream, and flour in a double boiler until thick.
  • Add butter and stir well.
  • Cook until thick again.
  • Add fruit and beat well.
  • Mixture will thicken again as it is beaten.
  • Put between layers and ice top and sides of cake.
  • Ices and fills 2 two-layer cakes.