Recipe Rich Dark Fruitcake (Christmas)

Required Ingredients:

• 6 cups sultana raisins
• 3 cups dried currants
• 1 1/2 cups pitted dates
• 6 cups raisins
• 3 cups candied mixed citrus peel
• 1/2 pound candied cherries
• 2 cups almonds
• 2 cups butter
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon almond extract
• 2 cups white sugar
• 12 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 12 egg whites
• 1/2 cup grape juice
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

Preparing/Cooking:

• Wash and dry the raisins and the currants.
• Wash, dry, pit, and chop the dates.
• Chop the raisins and the citrus peel.
• Slice the cherries.
• Blanch the almonds, and slice them lengthwise.
• Combine fruits and nuts in large bowl.
• Grease and line 3 standard Christmas cake pans (these round pans are at least 3 inches deep and come in a set of three sizes- 5, 7, and 9 inch across) with 4 layers of heavy waxed paper, or 3 layers of brown paper.
• Grease again.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices onto a piece of waxed paper.
• Remove 1 cup of this flour mixture, and combine with fruit and nuts.
• Mix until fruit is well coated.
• Cream the butter until fluffy.
• Add extracts.
• Gradually add sugar, mixing until creamy.
• Beat egg yolks until light and lemon-colored, and beat into the butter mixture.
• Stir in the molasses, and beat together well.
• Add half of the remaining flour mixture, and blend thoroughly.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into batter.
• Stir in lightly the remaining flour mixture alternately with combined fruit juice and coffee.
• Add floured fruit and nuts, blending in until fruit is well distributed.
• Turn batter into prepared cake tins, filling each about 2/3 full and spreading batter evenly.
• Bake in center of oven.
• Bake small cake 2 1/2 hours, medium cake 3 1/2 hours, and large cake 4 to 4 1/2 hours.
• Remove from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes, then turn out on wire rack to cool.

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