Dried-fruit cake - country living

24 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 cups Granulated sugar
2 cups Water
1 cup Brandy
2 cups Chopped pitted dates
2 cups Golden raisins
2 cups Dried cherries (see Note)
1½ cup Chopped dried apricots
1 cup Dried cranberries (see Note)
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups Unsifted all-purpose flour
2 cups Sliced natural almonds
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Baking soda
2 Large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Almond extract
Confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Several hours or day before baking, prepare fruit mixture: In 4-quart saucepan, combine granulated sugar, water, brandy, dates, raisins, cherries, apricots, cranberries, and butter; heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

(Cover and refrigerate if not using within several hours.) 2. When fruit mixture is completely cooled, heat oven to 300'F.

Grease and flour 10-inch Turk's Head mold or tube pan. In large bowl, combine flour, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. With large spoon, stir eggs, almond extract, and cooled fruit mixture into flour mixture until well combined.

3. Spoon batter into prepared pan; bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes; unmold onto serving plate and cool completely.

Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Note: Dried cherries and dried cranberries are available by mail order from American Spoon Foods, 1668 Clafion Ave., P.O. Box 566, Petosky, Mich. 49770, or by calling (800) 222-5886.

Country Living/November/91 Scanned & fixed by DP and GG Submitted By MICHAEL ORCHEKOWSKI On 11-21-94

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