Porter Cake

Porter was a weak form of stout or Guinness. Nowadays it is not made, but Guinness is used for this recipe, which makes an excellent moist and rich cake.

1 lb. (4 1/2 cups) sifted cake flour
1 lb (2 1/2 cups) brown sugar
1 lb (3 cups) seedless raisins
1/2 lb. (1 1/2 cups sultanas)
1 level teasp. bicarbonate of soda, melted in warm Guinness
4 eggs
1/2 lb. (1 cup) butter
4 oz. (1 cup) glace cherries
4 oz. (1 cup) blanched chopped almonds
4 oz. (1 up) mixed chopped peel
1/2 pt. Guinness, warmed
juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
pinch of mixed spice

Rub the butter into the flour and add all the other dry ingredients. Blend very well. Beat the eggs with the lukewarm Guinness and add the bicarbonate of soda. Mix this very well into the dry cake mixture, and turm into a greased and lined cake tin, measuring 9 in. in diameter and 3 in. high. It should be covered with a greaseproof paper, and baked in a slow oven (200-250 degrees electric) for about 3-3 1/2 hours, removing the paper for the last half-hour. Test with a skewer before removing from the oven. It makes a good Christmas cake, and if iced will keep well in a tin.

Margaret Saunders, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary (b. 1875)