Margaret Gary Johnson's Nut Cake Recipe

This was a favorite recipe handed down through my great-aunt Margaret Gary Johnson's family. Margaret dictated the recipe to my grandmother, Louise Johnson who wrote it on a note pad from my grandfather. Margaret seldom shared the recipe because she had found that no one ever followed her instructions or changed ingredients and then complained that their effort was unsuccessful. This is a dry, not too sweet, cake with a dense consistency often served at Christmas along with fruit cake and wine jelly. This written version neglects to mention that the nuts are black walnuts and that they are very finely minced by hand. In the days before food processors and blenders, it must have been quite an effort.
People in photo include: Margaret (Gary) Johnson