FRUITCAKE

By gaster16

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 7 eggs, separated
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 lbs. diced candied pineapple (about 3 cups)
• 1 lb. red and green candied cherries (about 2 cups)
• 3 cups pecan halves
• 1 cup black walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brandy
• Additional brandy

Preparation

Step 1

Make a liner for a 10" tube pan by drawing a circle with an 18" diameter on a piece of brown paper. Cut out circle, set pan in center, and draw around base of pan and inside tube. Fold circle into eighths, having the drawn lines on the outside.

Cut off tip end of circle along inside drawn line. Unfold paper, cut along folds to the outside drawn line. From another piece of brown paper, cut another circle with a 10" diameter, grease and set aside. Place the 18" liner in pan, grease and set aside.

Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of mixer. Stir in flavorings. Beat egg yolks, alternately add yolk and 3 cup flour to creamed mixture.

Combine fruit and nuts in large bowl, dredge with 1/2 cup flour, stirring to coat well. Stir mixture into batter. Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff peaks form, fold into batter.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Arrange additional fruit and nuts on top, if desired. Cover pan with 10" brown paper circle, greaed side down. Bake at 250 degrees about 4 hours or until cake tests done. Remove from oven. Take off paper cover, and slowly our 1/4 cup brandy evenly over cake, cool on wire rack.

Remove cake from pan, peel paper liner from cake. wrap cake in brandy soaked cheesecloth and place in airtight cake pan.