Dessert

Holiday Cake (Spiced Fruitcake Loaf)

Serves 3

The original recipe contributor submitted the following information:"This is from an old recipe book of my mother's. There's a little note on the page: 'fruitcake—only better'. It's tricky to get right but it's well worth the time and effort. We usually make it around Christmastime."

Suits: Vegetarian, Pescatarian. Allergens named in the ingredients: Gluten, Eggs, Milk. Flags come from what shops, restaurants and cooks list and from the ingredient names. Always check the label. This is not medical advice.

Ingredients

1 cup (240 ml) pitted dates
2 cups (480 ml) maraschino cherries
½ cup (120 ml) cherry juice
1 cup (240 ml) butter
3 cups (720 ml) brown sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup (240 ml) milk
2 tsp vanilla
3 ½ cups (830 ml) sifted flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 ½ cups (600 ml) chopped nuts

Method

Cut dates and cherries into small pieces and soak them in cherry juice overnight.
Preheat oven to 250°F (120˚C).
Cream butter, add half of the sugar. Beat until fluffy.
In another bowl beat egg yolks until thick. Add remaining sugar.
Combine the two mixtures and beat together.
Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and spices.
Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to wet mixture, beating well after each addition.
Fold in stiffly-beaten egg whites.
Add in fruit and nuts dredged lightly with flour.
Bake in lined loaf pans in slow oven for 3 hours.