The Traditional Irish Wedding Cake is a culinary masterpiece which may sound difficult, but it is not. The trick is to give yourself enough time to take your time with it, and to have all the ingredients, measuring cups, spoons, and bowls (big bowls!) lined up and ready to go. Make this well in advance of the big day so you have plenty of time to let it mellow, adding the Irish whiskey every few days to enhance the wonderful flavor and aroma.

Top Layer Ingredients:
1 Cup Raisins
1 Cup Sultanas or Baking Raisins
1 Cup Currants
1/2 Cup Slivered or Chopped Almonds
1/2 Cup Candied Cherries
1/2 Cup Candied Peel
1 1/4 Cups Self-Rising Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/4 Teaspoon Allspice
1 Cup Butter, softened but not melted
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Molasses
Juice of One Small Lemon and One Small Orange
3 Extra Large Eggs
1/2 Tablespoon Almond Extract
1/4 Cup Irish Whiskey, plus extra for drizzling

Technique:
Line an 8 x 2 inch round cake pan with a double thickness of parchment paper on the sides and bottom, to be held in place with cooking spray. Side paper needs to be higher than the pan to account for the cake rising.

Preheat oven to 325F.

In a large bowl mix together the fruits, almonds, and 1/4 cup of the flour to coat the mixed fruits.

In a separate bowl, cream together the dark brown sugar and the softened butter. Whip in the molasses and the lemon and orange juice. Beat the eggs and almond extract and blend into the butter mixture.

Sift the remaining flour, salt, and spices together and add to the floured fruit and nut mixture. Mix all ingredients plus 1/4 cup of spirits, stir well until all of the ingredients are well mixed.

Pour the batter into the pan and even off with a spatula, leaving a depression in the center, as this will take longer to bake. Bake in the center of the oven at 325F for 50 minutes. Turn the heat down to 300F and continue to bake, checking frequently, for 3 or 4 hours longer.

Watch for over browning, as oven temperatures differ, and the mixture of sugars could burn easily. If the cake appears to be cooking too quickly, cover with a double layer of aluminum foil and reduce the temperature slightly, increasing the cooking time.

The cake is done when a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan. Trim off the top so the cake is level for assembly. Wrap the cooled cake in a layer of waxed paper, christening it with 1/4 cup of Irish whiskey before closing the paper. (Some bakers make small skewer holes in the cake to allow the glaze to seep into the center of the cake.) Wrap the entire package in aluminum foil as well. Refrigerate and let it sit for at least two weeks before frosting. Add small amounts of whiskey every few days to moisten and mellow.

Bottom Layer Ingredients for Golden Whiskey Cake:
2 18.5 oz Yellow Cake Mix
2 3.75 oz Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
8 Eggs
1 Cup Cold Milk
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Irish Whiskey, plus extra for drizzling

Preheat oven to 325F.

Line a 12 x 2 inch round cake pan with a double thickness of parchment paper on the sides and bottom, to be held in place with cooking spray. Side paper needs to be higher than the pan to account for the cake rising. Preheat oven to 325F.

Combine all ingredients on low speed with electric mixer, then beat 2 minutes on high. Pour 7 cups of the batter into the cake pan and bake 1 hour. Use the remaining batter to make a small 8-inch cake. The cake is done when a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan. Trim off the top so the cake is level for assembly. Wrap the cooled cake in a layer of waxed paper, christening it with 1/4 cup of Irish whiskey before closing the paper. (Some bakers make small skewer holes in the cake to allow the whiskey to seep into the center of the cake.) Wrap the entire package in aluminum foil as well. Refrigerate and let it sit for at least two weeks before frosting. Add small amounts of whiskey every few days to moisten and mellow.

Middle Layer Ingredients for Golden Whiskey Cake:
1 18.5 oz Yellow Cake Mix
1 3.75 oz Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Cold Milk
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Irish Whiskey, plus extra for drizzling

Preheat oven to 325F.

Line a 10 x 2 inch round cake pan with a double thickness of parchment paper on the sides and bottom, to be held in place with cooking spray. Side paper needs to be higher than the pan to account for the cake rising.

Combine all ingredients on low speed with electric mixer, then beat 2 minutes on high. Pour batter into the cake pan and bake 1 hour or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan. Trim off the top so the cake is level for assembly. Wrap the cooled cake in a layer of waxed paper, christening it with 1/4 cup of Irish whiskey before closing the paper. (Some bakers make small skewer holes in the cake to allow the whiskey to seep into the center of the cake.) Wrap the entire package in aluminum foil as well. Refrigerate and let it sit for at least two weeks before frosting. Add small amounts of whiskey every few days to moisten and mellow.

Glaze:
1 Stick Butter
1/4 Cup Water
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Irish Whiskey

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey.

Trim off each cake so it is level for assembly. Prick several holes in top of cakes with a toothpick or skewer. Use a brush or spoon to drizzle glaze over the cakes. Allow glaze to dry completely.

Butter cream icing:
There are many types of frostings used by Irish bakers. They are a far cry from the sugar and lard used by many commercial bakeries. A delicious butter cream frosting is always acceptable on an Irish wedding cake. More traditional bakers will top an Irish wedding cake with fondant icing, which is a poured icing that dries hard. I have chosen to make my favorite butter cream icing. You will need to make 2 batches of this recipe to frost the 3 cake layers and have enough left to decorate.

4 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
1 16 oz Tub Marshmallow Cream
2 Cups Confectioners Sugar
2 Teaspoons Almond Extract

Beat butter in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in marshmallow cream until well blended. Reduce speed to low; beat in confectioners sugar and almond extract. Increase speed to high and beat 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy.

Assembling the cake:
1 10-inch Round Cardboard
1 Wedding Cake Topper or Fresh Flowers
1 10-inch Layer Separator
4 White Plastic 6-inch Pillars
4 Plastic Dowels Cut 2 Inches Long
1 Large 16-inch Flat Cake Plate or Board

Place the 12-inch cake in the center of the cake plate. Frost the sides and top. Place the 2-inch dowels down through the cake, spacing them about 2 inches apart near the center. Place the 10-inch cake on the 10-inch cardboard. Frost sides and top, then place it onto the center of the 12-inch layer over the supporting dowels. Before frosting the 8-inch cake, use the bottom 'feet' of the 10-inch separator to mark where to place the pillars on top of the middle layer; then put the pillars in place by pushing them all the way into the second layer until they stop. Place the 8-inch cake in the center of the flat side of the separator.

Frost the top and sides. Do not put the top layer on until decorating is completed. To decorate, pipe icing around the top and bottom edge of each layer. You may pipe small rosettes or swags along the sides of each layer. The traditional wedding cake is iced and decorated in all white. More modern cakes use a bit of the wedding color scheme by tinting the frosting. Top with a wedding cake topper or fresh flowers. I chose to use these beautiful wild irises, which I also placed into the space between the layers. Keep cake refrigerated until ready to display.