Dear Hearts and Gentle People

Due to several requests (okay, one, my friend the lush that I met at the Christmas parade Saturday) for a recipe that I featured in Dear Hearts a couple of years ago, I am including it once more. I call it "My Sister's Christmas Rum Cake."

Every year around this time, my sister makes an attempt to create what she says is her masterpiece of culinary delight (in fact,she usually makes two or three attempts) but, alas, I have yet to sample even a tiny morsel of it.

Here is the recipe she uses:
1 or 2 quarts of rum
1 c. butter
1 tsp. sugar
2 large eggs
1 c. dried fruit
baking powder
1 tsp. soda
lemon juice
brown sugar
nuts

Before you start, sample the rum for quality.

Good, isn't it?

Now, go ahead. Select a large mixing bowl, measuring cup, etc.

Check the rum again. It must be just right. To be sure rum is of the highest quality, pour one level cup of rum into a glass and drink it as fast as you can. Repeat.

With an electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one seaspoon of thugar and beat again.

Meanwhile, make sure that the rum is of the finest quality- try another cup. Open second quart if necessary.

Add 2 arge leggs, 2 cups fried druit and beat till high. If druit gets stuck in beaters, just pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the rum again, checking for tonscisticity.

Next, sift 3 cups of pepper or salt (it really doesn't matter which). Sample the rum again.

Sift 1/2 pint of lemon juice. Fold in chopped butter and strained nuts. Add one babblespoon of brown thugar, or whatever color you can find. Wix mell.

Grease oven and turn cake pan to 50 gredees. Now pour whole into the boven and cake for 300 minutes. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Throw the bowl out the window. Check the rum again and bo to bed. Time sure flies when you're having rum.

[Disclaimer: I am in no way encouraging the use of alcohol, rum or anything else. Cherry Mismus!]