As a child, I was never very fond of Christmas cake.   Although I enjoyed the general flavour, I disliked biting into large pieces of nut and chunks of peel.   However, in my late teens, the family spent a year in England.   There was a local bakery that sold “Dundee cake”, a common term for a heavy fruit cake, but in this case referring specifically to a cake made solely with currants.   I adored it.   For the first time, I understood just why my father was so fond of heavy fruit cake.
        Of course, when we returned to Canada, the cake was no longer available; and I definitely missed it.     That Christmas, though, it occurred to me that it ought to be possible to make a currant cake similar to the one from the English bakery simply by modifying my mother's regular Christmas cake recipe.   She was agreeable, provided I worked out for her how to divide her recipe by three, since she always made three large cakes, but was not prepared to make more than one of the currant ones.
        Shortly thereafter my mother delegated most of the Christmas baking to me, including the cakes; and most years, I make one or another variety.  I do not, however, make three identical large cakes the way she did:   I have several different recipes, and I ring the changes.   That includes making the family Christmas cake recipe, even though I don't care for it myself, since there are other people who enjoy it.   The currant cake is probably made most often, though, since everyone likes that one.   It is usually made in the fall because all heavy fruit cakes have to be made at least a month in advance of cutting, since they need time to mature.
        It is important to remember just how heavy a cake this is—absolutely packed with dried fruit, and very nourishing.   So it is served in long narrow fingers, similar to the way that a wedding cake is served.

Ingredients

3¾ lbs currants
2 tbsp wine
2 tbsp flour

2/3 lb flour
1 flat tsp baking powder
pinch baking soda
1 tbsp cocoa
pinch salt (optional)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp mace
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp ginger

3 eggs
1/3 lb butter (unsalted)
1/3 lb dark brown sugar
2 tbsp black treacle
¼ cup wine
¼ cup orange juice

2 tbsp brandy

Directions

Preparing the Fruit
Wash and pick over the currants to remove any bits of stalk.   Put them into a large mixing bowl, and toss them with two tablespoons of flour so they don't stick together.   Pour a couple of tablespoonsful of wine over the top, and toss again.   Leave overnight.

Making the Cake Batter

Mixing in the Fruit
Stir in the currants by hand.   Add a cup or two at a time, stirring in with a spurtle or wooden spoon.   As the batter becomes full of fruit, this will become increasingly difficult; but it is possible.   Eventually, what you have will look like a big bowlful of currants covered stickily with batter.

Preparing the Cake Pan
This type of cake is baked in a deep round cake pan with a removable base (not a regular square cake tin).   Alternatively, use a large loaf pan.
        Take a large brown paper bag (or plain brown paper), and cut two pieces.   First, you need a strip long enough to go round the inside sides of the pan with at least two inches to spare for overlap.   This should be at least an inch or two higher than the cake tin.   Second, you need a round piece that is at least two inches wider than the base of the cake tin.
        Lay the brown paper on the kitchen counter, and pour a little cooking oil on it.   Brush or rub the oil over the paper until all the paper is greased.   Be sure to oil both sides of the paper.   I generally use my fingers:   it's a lot like fingerpainting, and rather fun.   (Wash your hands after.)
        Put the round piece in the cake pan, pushing it down so that it covers the base and comes a little way up the sides all round.   Then put the long strip in, winding it round the cake pan inside the sides of the round piece, so there is a good overlap.

Filling the Cake Tin
Pack the batter into the cake pan.   Put a few spoonsful in the bottom first, pressing it into the sides of the pan, being sure that it holds the greased brown paper firmly in place. Then add the rest of the batter, firming it down lightly as you go so there are no gaps.
        When all the batter is in the pan, smooth the top over with a wet knife.   Scrape any spare batter from the mixing bowl, and use it to cover exposed currants.

Baking
Bake at 300°F for at least three hours, until a cake tester comes out clean.  Turn off the oven, and let the cake cool in the oven overnight.

Wrapping the Cake
Gently remove the greased paper from the cake but do not throw it away.   Brush the cake all over with brandy.
        Replace the greased paper around the cake.   Cut two pieces of waxed paper, and wrap the cake in it, first one way and then the other, so there are no gaps.   Then cut a large piece of aluminum foil, and wrap the cake again, pressing the foil around the cake so that the waxed paper lies flat underneath.   If the foil is not wide enough to cover the cake completely, use a second piece.

Storage
Store the cake for at least one month before cutting.   However, it can be made as much as a year ahead of time, and just gets better with age.   If you make it far in advance, check it once or twice during the year, each time brushing it over again with brandy.
        Even a cut cake will store indefinitely, if well wrapped.   Should it dry out, simply put it in a large cake tin with a piece of wet paper towel:   the damp will be absorbed by the cake.   Alternatively, you can steam it in a pressure cooker; but this will somewhat alter the texture, making it more like a Christmas pudding.

Cutting the Cake
Slice across the cake to produce a large slice no more than half an inch thick.   This is then cut into long narrow fingers about one to one and a half inches across.

Makes one large cake.