Grandmother's Fruit Cake

You might think you don't like fruit cake... but that's only because you haven't tried this one. Really. My mom makes me one every year, and she recommends buying the candied fruit now (in January) because it goes on sale and keeps forever (kind of like the fruitcake, but I digress.). Better picture coming someday....

• 1 pound butter (see, it's already good)


• 1 pound sugar


• 1 1/2 pounds flour (5 1/2 cups, roughly)


• 1 box seeded raisins


• 1 pound candied pineapple (or equivalent candied fruit)


• 1 pound candied cherries


• 1 jar fig preserves, if you can find it


• 1 package currants


• 1/4 pound candied lemon and orange peel, combined


• 1/4 pound citron


• 1 package dates


• 1 pound nuts (we favor pecans)


• 1 t. nutmeg


• 1 t. cloves


• 1-2 t. cinnamon


• 1 t. allspice


• 1 dozen eggs

Mix chunky stuff together (fruits, nuts, etc.). Mix batter ingredients together (cream butter/sugar, add eggs and flour/spices). Pour batter over chunky stuff.

Now, mix thoroughly with your hands (what a great job for your little kitchen helpers!).

Place dough in a tube pan with bottom lined with paper and greased (can also use 2 loaf pans). Bake at 200 or 250 degrees for 3 hours. When cool, wrap in cheesecloth and douse with bourbon. Place in tin. (Douse with bourbon once a week until served....)