This recipe originally came from Helen Rausnitz’s friend Minnie. I’ve always meant to play with the directions—somehow this seems like it can't be the right procedure for making a cake like this, but it does work out, even though I have trouble letting myself do it this way… it’s just not right. This is the only cake I’ve ever seen with these ingredients—sometimes I see a cake with whiskey, sometimes with coffee, but never with both, and never with a whole, ground orange.
It can be baked in two loaf pans or one 13” x 9” pan. It can have walnuts added, although (shocking to some) I haven’t done this since probably the first time I made it, I like it without the nuts. The citron can be difficult to find.
This recipe is written exactly as it was given to me…. -Joan
1 lb honey (2 cups)
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks
1 orange and 1 lemon grated (I throw the whole fruits into the Cuisinart—Grandma used a meat grinder)
½ cup oil (bland, flavorless)
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup strong coffee
½ tsp cloves
Nuts and citron
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup whiskey
½ tsp nutmeg
4 cups sifted flour
4 egg whites, beaten stiff
Mix honey, sugar and warm coffee until dissolved. Add rest of ingredients. Add egg whites last. Put in waxed paper in 13” x 9” pan in 350˚ oven.
That’s it.