Ingredients:
1 ½ C seeded raisins (I use golden raisins)
1 ½ C dates chopped
2 C sugar
2 C boiling water
5 tablespoons shortening
3 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 C chopped nuts
1 C candied cherries (I use the whole larger container)
1 C candied pineapple (I use the whole larger container)
Bottle of Northern Latitudes Whaleback Spiced Rum OR Visions of Sugar Plums OR Bernie's Brandy
Directions:
Preheat over to 350. Grease and flour a 10 inch spring form pan very well. I have also used a Bundt pan. Makes a pretty presentation if serving the whole cake.
Pour raisins, dates, sugar, boiling water & shortening in a pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool.
Sift flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a large bowl
Slowly mix in cooled raisin and date mixture.
Add the chopped nuts and candied fruit. Mix well.
Spoon into the pan and level with an offset knife
Bake for 1 ½ hours. Cool. Remove carefully from pan.
Wrap in a tea towel or cheesecloth. Place in a tin or plastic airtight container. Douse with ¼ C brandy, plum liqueur, or rum. Put it in a cool place in container and leave there. Weekly, douse with ¼ C more of the spirit. After 5-6 weeks, it is ready to enjoy! This stores in a cool place in that same container for however long it takes you to eat it up. You can also serve it with whipped cream flavored with a bit of the spirit you used.
Recipe by Connie and Helen Eisenhart
