A centerpiece dessert fit for a semiquincentennial, Martha Washington’s Great Cake is rich with dried fruit, warm spices, Madeira wine and brandy.
Fair warning: This is a bit of a labor of love, with several steps and a long baking time. If you’re looking for something quicker to celebrate America’s 250th, check out my easy Red, White and Blue Watermelon Salad recipe instead.
This historic cake is worth the effort for special occasions and offers a delicious taste of the colonial table. Adapted from the historic recipe at George Washington’s Mount Vernon.
Ingredients
1½ cups currants
⅓ cup chopped candied orange peel
⅓ cup chopped candied lemon peel
⅓ cup chopped candied citron
¾ cup Madeira wine, divided
¼ cup French brandy
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
½ cup slivered almonds
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground mace
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated
Colonial Icing (Optional)
3 large egg whites
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rose water or orange-flower water
Instructions
Combine the currants, candied peels and citron with ½ cup of the Madeira. Cover and let soak for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Mix the remaining ¼ cup Madeira with the brandy and set aside.
Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
Drain the fruit, reserving the soaking liquid. Add the reserved liquid to the Madeira-brandy mixture.
Toss the fruit with ¼ cup of the flour and the almonds.
Whisk together the remaining flour, nutmeg and mace.
Cream the butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar, then the egg yolks.
Alternate adding the flour mixture and Madeira mixture until a smooth batter forms.
Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and gently fold them into the batter.
Fold in the fruit mixture.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1½ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing. If using the icing, frost while the cake is still warm and allow it to dry in the turned-off warm oven for several hours.
Noshing Notes
No candied fruit? No problem. I substituted one finely chopped blood orange and one finely chopped lemon for the candied orange, lemon and citron. The cake was less sweet than the original but wonderfully fresh and citrusy. Madeira can be hard to find, so I used port instead. It adds a rich, fruity depth that works beautifully in this historic recipe.
Pairs Well With
A cup of strong black tea, coffee or a small glass of Madeira or port. It also makes a wonderful holiday brunch centerpiece.
Waste Not Want Not
Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for several days or freeze slices individually. Like many traditional fruitcakes, the flavor actually improves after a day or two.
Cybele is a writer and editor with more than 16 years in the publishing industry. An avid reader, you can usually find her with the latest new book release from the local library. She currently resides on a farm in Hardwick with her husband and four children. In her spare time, she writes historical fiction specific to New Jersey.
- Cybele Tamulonis, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/cybele-tamulonis-contributing-writer/
- Cybele Tamulonis, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/cybele-tamulonis-contributing-writer/
- Cybele Tamulonis, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/cybele-tamulonis-contributing-writer/
- Cybele Tamulonis, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/cybele-tamulonis-contributing-writer/
