Fruitcake: Round Two!

So, my first foray into fruitcake was actually pretty successful!  I made a "Poor Man's Fruitcake," and it was pretty tasty!  I had heard horror stories of how terrible fruitcake is, so I had braced myself for the worst only to be pleasantly surprised.

This next recipe is decidedly more fruitcake-y.  It is pretty heavy, loaded with fruit and nuts, and has a dash of alcohol (which you can substitute fruit juice for instead).  If you are not typically a fan of fruitcake, I would say steer clear of this one and try Vi's Poor Man's Fruitcake instead.  If, on the other hand, you love fruitcake (like my dad and brother do), this is sure to please!

You will need:

• 2 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 cups dates (chopped)
• 3/4 cup citron
• 1 lb. fruitcake mix
• 1 package of currants (I skipped this)
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup Brazil nuts
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon wine or fruit juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour, sifted (or 2 3/4 cups cake flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Phew!  That's a long list!  Okay, so the first step is to plump the raisins.  Rinse them in warm water and then cover and heat them in a slow oven until the wrinkles come out.  I wasn't patient enough...

Next, cream the shortening.  Then, add the sugar gradually to cream it as well.

Blend in the well beaten eggs.

Sift your flour, measure, then sift together with the baking powder, salt, and spices.  Mix 1 cup of the flour mixture with the fruits and nuts.

Add the remaining flour mixture to the creamed mixture gradually, alternating with the milk and oil.  Beat until just smooth.

Blend in the wine (or fruit juice) and vanilla.

Stir in the fruits and nuts.

Pour into 2 loaf pans, greased and lined with 2 pieces of parchment paper.  Cut away excess paper.

Bake for 2 hours at 275 degrees.

(a note on bake time- my fruitcake took significantly longer, so beware!  Have a cake tester handy to check for doneness)

Enjoy!  And try to keep yourself from picking out your favorite bits...