Cowboy Cake (Texas)

A friend's family's history in Texas goes back to the 1850's and this recipe has been a family holiday favourite for generations. It primarily contains only ingredients a ranch would have readily available. It's the perfect "non-fruitcake lovers" fruitcake.

3 cup sugar
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. cloves, ground
2 cup water
1 cup coffee, strong brewed
1 (15 oz) box raisins
1 (8 oz) box dates, chopped
¾ cup butter
4½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached, unbleached
1½ tsp. baking soda
1½ Tbsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. sea salt
¾ cup pecans, chopped
½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup pecans, halved
2 Tbsp. bourbon or rum (optional)

Preheat an oven to 300°F (150°C/130°C fan, Gas Mark 2).

Combine first eight ingredients in a saucepan and bring to low boil while stirring continually. Reduce heat and let simmer 5 minutes. Remove to cool.

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Once cooled to lukewarm, slowly stir the liquid spice/fruit mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold in chopped pecans. Pour into two large well-greased loaf pans.

Arrange pecan halves in a decorative pattern on the top of the loaves.

Bake for 1 hour.

With a brush, gently apply a coat of corn syrup over the cakes. (A few Tbsp. of bourbon or rum may be added to the corn syrup.)

Continue baking one hour, or until a toothpick come out of the cakes cleanly. Cool.

For an adult dessert, a few Tbsp. of bourbon or rum can be poured on each slice prior to serving.

Makes 8-12 servings per loaf.