Fruitcake

My mother used to make this and send it around. It was the only fruitcake recipe I know of that people said they actually liked, and I think they weren't just being polite. I know I always like it.

For 1 9 x 4.5 x 4 inch cake
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 lb whole Brazil nuts, shelled
  • 1 lb pitted whole dates
  • 8 oz red glacé cherries, drained
  • 8 oz green glacé cherries, drained
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 325 °F.
  2. Toast the brazil nuts, stirring occasionally, until light brown and fragrant, about 1/2 hour.
  3. Let brazil nuts cool, and reset oven to 300 °F.
  4. Sift together flour, sugar, baking power and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Add nuts, dates, and cherries and mix until nuts and fruits are well coated with the flour mixture.
  6. Beat eggs well until frothy. Add extracts. Pour the eggs over the flour and fruit mixture and stir together well until no dry flour remains.
  7. Grease and flour a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Add batter to pan, packing in well to minimize spaces between nuts and fruits. Batter will come nearly to the top of the pan.
  8. Bake about 1 1/2 hours until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  9. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert on cooling rack.
Use a very sharp knife to cut into thin slices.

Storage Instructions

Wrap in waxed paper, then foil. This cake can be mellowed by letting sit in refrigerator for several weeks. For longer storage, store in freezer.