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1
Combine butter and lard in a large bowl and work together until the mixture is uniform and soft — no visible separation between the two fats.
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2
Add the mel de cana to the fat mixture and beat steadily until fully incorporated. The batter will be very dark and heavy; it should fall from the spoon in a slow, unbroken ribbon.
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3
Combine the flour with all ground spices — cinnamon, cloves, anise, and fennel — and sift together. Add to the molasses batter in stages, folding with deliberate strokes until no dry flour remains and the mass is dense and uniformly dark. This is where the dish lives or dies: the spice blend must be fully dispersed and the flour entirely absorbed without overworking, which would tighten the crumb.
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4
Fold in the dried fruits, walnuts, and almonds. Distribute them evenly throughout the batter — every handful of batter broken open should show fruit and nut.
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5
Divide the batter between two prepared cake tins. Bake in a moderate oven until a skewer inserted in the centre meets firm resistance and comes out with moist, dark crumbs — not wet batter. The surface will be very dark and set; the interior will remain dense.
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6
Turn the cakes out and allow to cool completely. Wrap each cake tightly in several layers of parchment, then in cloth. Store in a cool, dark, dry cellar — not the refrigerator. Rest for a minimum of two to three weeks before breaking; full flavour develops further over months and years. The cake is ready when, unwrapped, it carries a deep, spiced molasses fragrance without any raw-flour or wet note.