Old English Spice Cake with Currant Hard Sauce

• 1 cup butter, unsalted
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 cups flour, unbleached all-purpose
• 1/4 cup water hot
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 each lemon zest
• 1 each orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon mace
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter unsalted
• 1/4 pound cream cheese
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raisins, seedless yellow
• 1/4 cup currants

1. Powder saffron, work into butter.
2. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, one at a time.
3. Add vanilla and caraway.
4. Sift together dry ingredients.
5. Add dry ingredients to batter alternately with milk.
6. Mix in zest.
7. Pour into greased, floured sheet cake or cupcake pan.
8. Preheat oven and bake at 350F (180C) (175C) for about 1 1/4 hrs.
9. Check after 1 hour.
10. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then on rack.
11. Serve with dollop of Currant Hard Sauce.
12. CURRANT HARD SAUCE:
13. Powder saffron, work into chilled cream cheese.
14. Cream together butter and cheese.
15. Beat until light and fluffy.
16. Mix in remaining ingredients and chill.
17. Serve at room temperature.

butter, sugar, eggs, milk, flour, water, baking powder, saffron threads, vanilla, caraway seeds, lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon ground, cloves, mace, nutmeg, butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, saffron threads, vanilla, raisins, currants

Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/old-english-spice-cake-currant--46911 (may not work)