#FamilyRecipes | Steamed Fruit Cake

I love old recipes. Especially, hand-written family recipes that have been passed down. Sadly, some of the recipes I have are falling apart and/or so faded it's very hard to read them. Also, some have questionable provenance. Take, for example, the recipe below.

Steamed Fruit Cake Recipe part 1

Steamed Fruit Cake Recipe part 2

At first, I thought this was something my mother had written and given to her mother. The handwriting is very similar to Mom's. However, on the second page is the name Sidney. That is my great grandmother. Mom's Father's Mother.

Also, I can't remember a time that my mother canned. A shout out to Jen for her excellent handwriting deciphering skills!

So, where did this recipe come from? Did my great grandmother, Sidney, copy it from a letter someone sent her? Did one of her sisters send this recipe to her?

Here's the full recipe:

"Fruit Cake"

This isn't a very large cake. Double the recipe if you want very much.
1/2 pound butter
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups flour
6 eggs
1 wine glass grape juice
1 cup pecans
1 cup walnuts
1/2 lb chopped dates
1 package raisins
1 pound chopped dried prunes
1/2 pound candied pineapple
1/2 pound cherries (candied)
1/4 lb lemon peel
1/4 lb orange peel
1/4 lb citron
1 pint peach preserves
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup cold coffee
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar, add well beaten eggs. Beat well. Add coffee. Add soda mixed with molasses and grape juice. Add 2 cups flour with salt and spices sifted in. Mix chopped fruit and dredge in remaining cup of flour then add to batter. Add nuts last.
Sidney have you ever steamed your fruit cake in your canner. This recipe is good that way. Put it in well greased 1 pound coffee cans leaving room for it to rise a little. When it has steamed done place the cans in the hot oven 1/2 hour to dry the cake out some. It makes round slices and sure is good.