Same Day Fruit Cake

[kirra]

Same Day Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

1 pound currants
1 pound raisins
1 pound prunes
1 can pineapple tidbits, with liquid
1 (16 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, with liquid
1/2 pound mixed candied fruit peel
1 pound dates
1/4 pound almonds, chopped
1 pound walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon clove
1 rum
1 cherry brandy
1 bottle orange segments, with liquid
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 pound butter, softened
1-3/4 cups sugar
9 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cognac/brandy

Preparation:

Chop fruits coarsely in a blender or food processor using the liquid from the pineapple plus the rum and cherry brandy. Drain off excess liquid and set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Cream together butter and sugar until mixture is light. Add the eggs, one at a time until blended. Stir in dry ingredients gradually into egg and butter batter. Add fruit mixture slowly ensuring all fruit are well blended in. Check batter consistency and adjust by adding more flour if necessary. Stand the mixing spoon in the middle of the batter. The spoon should stand on its own.

Pour batter into well greased and floured pan(s). Cook in preheated 250F oven for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until a tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Pour extra liquid from fruit blend and any leftover rum or cherry brandy, plus the cognac over the hot cake(s). Cool for 24 hours in the pan(s). When cool, moisten generously with cognac, remove from pan(s), and wrap in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil.