Holly Jolly Fruit Cake

Total Time: 5 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 20 ounces diced mixed fruit
• 8 ounces candied cherries, red and green
• 6 ounces pitted dates
• 4 ounces seeded raisins
• 4 ounces walnut meats
• 4 ounces pecans
• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 5 eggs, well beaten
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup either orange juice, grape juice, brandy, rum

Recipe

• 1 line greased 3 1/2 x 7 1/2 inch loaf pans with waxed or parchment paper, allowing 1/2 inch to extend above all sides of pans. do not flatten.
• 2 shred fruit mix.
• 3 halve cherries, nut meats, and dates. (if you use pineapple and citron instead, cut the size of almonds).
• 4 dredge fruit in 1/4 cup flour.
• 5 in large bowl, cream shortening and sugar; add honey and eggs; beat well.
• 6 in small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour with dry ingredients.
• 7 alternately add flour mixture and liquid of choice to the creamed mixture.
• 8 pour batter over floured fruits and mix well.
• 9 pour batter into prepared pans.
• 10 place a pan containing 2 cups of water on bottom shelf while baking. cakes baked with water have greater volume.
• 11 bake at 250 degrees 3-4 hours.
• 12 if decorating with nuts and cherries, place on cakes 2 hours before done.
• 13 before wrapping up cake the first time, mom drizzled brandy or rum over each cake. then, once a week she drizzled more liquid on them.
• 14 store in covered container in a cool place.