Old-Fashioned Light Fruitcake

Courtesy of Frances and Ann Wilmer

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. pecan halves
• 3/4 lb. chopped, candied pineapples
• 3/4 lb. whole candied cherries
• 1 lb. seedless white raisins
• 1/2 cup coconut
• 1/2 lb. sweet butter
• 1 lb. sugar (2 1/4 cups)
• 6 eggs
• 1 oz. brandy (optional)
• 1 lb. sifted all-purpose flour (4 cups)
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• honey or light corn syrup

Directions

Prepare baking pan(s) by lining with aluminum foil. Use a 10-inch tube pan, two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans or four one-pound coffee cans. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Blend in brandy. Sift together dry ingredients before mixing thoroughly with butter and egg mixture. Using a heavy wooden spoon, fold in nuts and fruits, reserving some to decorate the cake later. Turn in to prepared cake pans, filling 1/2 full, and bake in a slow oven, 275 degrees. If baking one cake, bake for about 3 hours. Smaller cakes require about 2 hours. One-half hour later before cake is done, brush top with honey or light corn syrup, and decorate with reserved fruits and nuts, pressing them firmly to make them stick. Return to oven to continue baking. When completely cool, lift cake out of pans and peel off foil. Wrap with a wine-soaked cloth, and store in an airtight container in a cool place for at least three weeks to allow flavors to blend and mellow.

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