Old-Fashioned Nut Cake 2
Janice Sutton, Grand Marsh

8 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans 3-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sifted before measuring) 2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup rum or brandy 1-1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 6 eggs Dry sherry wine Confectioners’ sugar

Using solid vegetable shortening, lightly grease the inside of a 10- by 4-1/2-inch tube pan without a removable bottom. Line bottom of pan with brown paper or waxed paper that has been cut to fit. Lightly grease paper with shortening. Put nuts into a large mixing bowl. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt over a piece of waxed paper and set aside. In a measuring cup, combine milk with rum or brandy and set aside. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until mixture is smooth and very light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Pour batter over nuts and mix well with a rubber spatula. Turn batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 2-1/2 hours or until tests done. Remove cake from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Turn cake out of pan; discard paper and place cake on wire rack to cool completely. Store cake in a cool place for several days to mellow. To serve, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Makes a 5-1/4 lb. cake.
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