Porter cake at Christmas- How Irish can you get??

What do you get when you put two Irish girls together with a bottle of alcohol? It's not what you're thinking - in fact these girls are quite handy and bake a delicious Porter Cake. Linda and Noreen are first generation Irish Americans who attempt to keep the traditional spirit of Christmas by baking up a cake that is symbolic of important festivals like Christmas or

St. Patrick's Day, back home. A little bit of nostalgia and a major hankering for a familiar favorite of their childhood bring these two friends together to bake and share a cuppa. Porter is a dark Irish beer, not as potent as Stout but not as easily found and therefore commonly substituted with Guinness. Since I wasn't there to taste the cake I demanded pictures and the recipe for the cake ( Noreen's mother's, who is back in Ireland) and being true friends, they happily obliged. Thank you again girls, if you were here- I'd go out and get a Guinness with you!!

Recipe for Porter Cake:

1 lb AP flour

1/2 lb sugar

1/2 lb butter

4 eggs

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

4 oz slivered almonds

1 apple peeled and diced small

rind of 1 orange

1 lb raisins soaked in whisky overnight

1 tbsp treacle or molasses

1 tsp baking soda

1 bottle Guinness or Porter ( some for the cake and some for the cook!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9 inch cake tin by spraying with cooking spray and dusting with flour.

2. Sift the flour, spices and soda together.

3. Cream the butter and sugar for 5-7 minutes or until it is thick and creamy.

4. Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking well between each.

5. Fold in the flour mixture alternately with the Guinness until fully incorporated. Do not over mix.

6. Fold in the fruit and nuts. Pour into the tin and bake for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Do not open the oven door in the first half hour to prevent the rising cake from deflating. Check the doneness with a wooden skewer after the first hour and bake accordingly.