Gram's Poor Man's Cake (Eggless & Milkless)

• cup sugar↗1
• cup cold black coffee1
• cup shortening↗1⁄2
• pinch salt↗1
• teaspoon baking soda↗1
• teaspoon baking powder↗1
• cups flour↗2
• 1 teaspoon brandy extract (your choice) or 1 teaspoon cherry extract (your choice)↗1
• Fruit
• cranberries or diced apple↗

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Bring to a boil the fruit, nuts, extract, salt, sugar, shortening and coffee.

2. 2

   Continue to cook until raisins swell and liquid becomes syrupy; cool completely.

3. 3

   Stir together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.

4. 4

   Add to fruit mixture and combine thoroughly.

5. 5

   Pour into a greased 10-inch tube pan and bake at 325° about an hour (if heavy with fruit). Check with tester to be sure cake is done.

6. 6

   Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

7. 7

   At this point I soak a clean piece of cheesecloth in liquor; brandy, rum, even wine.

8. 8

   Wrap the cake with the cloth and in foil--store in COLD place--check often, resoak as needed.

9. 9

   There are no exact measurements for the fruit in this recipe--the original recipe stated "fruits, nuts & peels-whatever you have on hand".

10. 10

    This was done because it was wartime and things for fancy baking were not always available.