King Arthur Guinness Cake
Submitted by PaddyL on November 21, 2009 at 10:46 am

1 cup golden raisins
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup Guinness, or other dark beer
2-1/4 cups KA unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs

Place the raisins and cranberries in a medium bowl, pour the Guinness over them, cover, and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Preheat the oven to 350F., and lightly grease an 8-inch deep cake pan; or a 9-inch square pan if you don't have the deep 8-inch. (I made it in two loaf pans, one 8 x 4, and one smaller.)

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Mix in half of the flour mixture, then the soaked fruit and beer, then the remaining flour mixture. Combine until evenly moistened, scraping the bowl once or twice during the mixing time.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the centre and the edges just begin to pull away from the pan. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, invert the cake onto a serving plate and dust the top with powdered sugar.

This is from the King Arthur Baking Sheet, Early Spring 2007