We usually get a tradition Irish Christmas Cake from George's mother every year.  I have never cared for fruit cake until I had my mother-in-law's.  This year Ethna didn't make any cakes so George decided to use her recipe, which he's had for years, and make his own.  He had to make several substitutions for dried fruit the recipe calls for but that isn't available in the US.  Here's a quick photo essay of the cake.

George soaked the fruit in the good whiskey as we didn't have any inexpensive stuff in the house.  George let it sit for several days so all the whiskey was absorbed into the fruit.


George was convince that his mother used a huge pan for this cake so I ended up getting a 12" round pan at a restaurant supply house. Following directions over the phone from his mother in Capetown, SA, George lined it with lots of parchment paper.


Mixing up the batter in the Kitchenaid.  George called his mother in Capetown because the recipe just said "add eggs".  She had forgotten to write down how many eggs in the recipe she gave him over 12 years ago.


Blending the fruit and batter in the biggest bowl in the house.


Filling the pan.  The cake has a milk mixture poured over it.


The cake got very high while baking and then cooled to this.  George was very proud of himself.  We both thought the cake smelled delicious.