Dessert: Porter Cake

Recipe by Rachel Allen This traditional Irish cake uses a porter, such as Guinness, Beamish, or Murphy's, and is a deliciously rich and moist fruit cake. Make it a few days in advance of the celebratory event (it's perfect for St Patrick's Day) if you li

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups (450g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (mixed spice)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup (225g) butter
1 cup packed (225g) light brown sugar
1 pound (450g) golden raisins (sultanas) or raisins or a mixture of both
3 ounces (75g) chopped candied peel, store-bought or homemade
2 eggs
1 (12-ounce/330ml) bottle porter or stout

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C/Gas mark 4). Line the sides and bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) high-sided round cake pan (the sides should be about 2 3/4 inches/7 cm high) with waxed (greaseproof) paper.
Sift the flour, nutmeg, spice, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter, then stir in the brown sugar, raisins, and candied peel.
Whisk the eggs in another bowl and add the porter. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 2 hours. If the cake starts to brown too quickly on top, cover it with aluminum foil or waxed (greaseproof) paper after about 1 hour. The cake is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to sit in the pan for about 20 minutes before turning it out and cooling it on a wire rack.