Ingredients
- 1 cup candied yellow pineapple, chopped
- 1 cup candied red and green cherries, halved
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup citron
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
- 2 cups firmly-packed dark brown sugar
- 5 eggs, room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Brandy
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Grease a 10-inch tube or bundt pan; line with wax paper and grease well.
In a large bowl, combine candied pineapple, candied cherries, citron, raisins, chopped dates, and pecans or walnuts. Add orange juice; stir until well blended. Let stand 1 hour (or preferably overnight).
In a large bowl, cream butter. Gradually add dark brown sugar, stirring until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and mace; gradually add to butter mixture. Add almond extract and fruit mixture; stir until well blended. Spoon into prepared pan.
Bake 2 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your fruitcake. The internal temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan, peel paper liner from cake, and cool completely.
Wrap in a brandy-soaked cheesecloth; store in an airtight container for one week. After one week, store in the refrigerator.
Makes 1 large fruitcake.