Coffee Fruitcake

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 lb dried currants or 3 1/3 cups dried currants
• 1 lb raisins or 3 cups raisins
• 1 cup lukewarm strong coffee
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup molasses (not robust or blackstrap)

Recipe

• 1 put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°f.
• 2 brush 2 9x5x3 loaf pans lightly with oil, then line bottom and sides with foil, pressing corners to help adhere.
• 3 sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg into a large bowl.
• 4 toss currants and raisins with 2 tablespoons flour mixture in a bowl.
• 5 stir together coffee and baking soda in a small bowl until dissolved.
• 6 beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes.
• 7 add eggs, 2 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in molasses.
• 8 reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and coffee mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just smooth.
• 9 fold in dried fruit mixture.
• 10 divide batter between loaf pans and smooth tops by gently rapping bottom of each pan against counter.
• 11 bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each cake comes out clean, 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 hours (cakes may sink slightly in center).
• 12 cool pans on racks 10 minutes, then loosen foil from sides of pans with knife and turn out cakes onto racks.
• 13 peel off foil and cool cakes completely, about 3 hours.