By Barbara Rolek

By mluoceanbeach

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup light or dark raisins
• 3/4 cup chopped dates or figs
• 1 1/3 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped candied orange or lemon peel
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) softened butter
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 8 large eggs
• 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vodka or orange juice

Details

Servings 3
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 80mins
Adapted from easteuropeanfood.about.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix fruits and nuts and toss with a small amount of flour to keep ingredients from clumping together in cake batter.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.

Mix together flour and baking powder and slowly add to the butter-sugar-egg mixture, combining thoroughly. Add vanilla and liquor or juice, mixing well. Stir in fruit-nut mixture by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Distribute batter into prepared pans and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or more or until toothpick tests clean.

When cakes come out of oven, run a knife around the edges but allow them to cool completely in the pans. When cool, turn out and store tightly wrapped in a cool place for up to four weeks.