Election Cake, Late Eighteenth Century

• For the sponge:
• 1/2 cup warm milk (100u0b0 to 115u0b0 F)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• For the cake:
• 1 1/2 cups raisins (Sultana or golden raisins preferred)
• 1/4 cup Madeira wine or sweet sherry
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

1. To make the sponge, stir the yeast into the warm milk, then pour it over the flour. Add in the molasses and stir everything together with a wooden spoon or Silicone spatula until you have a nice, smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until the dough has doubled and the top is dotted with bubbles, about 2 to 3 hours.
2. In the meantime, soak the raisins (below, in the "cake" recipe) in the wine and brandy.
3. When the sponge is ready, preheat your oven to 350u0b0 F. Generously butter two 8- by 3-inch loaf pans and line with parchment paper slings. Butter the paper. Editors' note: We made one standard 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and filled it three-quarters-full of batter. Then we made 6 muffins with the leftover batter.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, salt, and chopped pecans. Set aside.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar on medium until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3 minutes. Keeping the mixer on medium, add the eggs, one a time, beating for 30 seconds before adding in the next egg. Stop the mixer often to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Once all of the eggs are in, scrape the sponge into the batter and mix on medium speed for a few minutes to completely incorporate everything.
7. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the flour, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, salt, and pecans. Mix briefly, then pour in the raisins and the soaking liquid. Mix on low for a few seconds, then remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a silicone spatula, fold the doughy batter a few times to ensure everything is even distribution.
8. Divide the dough between the two prepared loaf pans and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the sides start to pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Let the cakes cool in the pans set on a rack for 5 minutes, then lift them out using the parchment sling and let cool completely.

warm milk, active dry yeast, flour, molasses, cake, raisins, madeira wine, brandy, flour, cinnamon, ground coriander, allspice, kosher salt, pecans, unsalted butter, sugar, eggs

Taken from food52.com/recipes/57906-election-cake-late-eighteenth-century (may not work)