California Fruitcake Recipe

Ingredients :

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp mace

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp salt

1 lb cut up mixed candied fruit

1 lb candied cherries, halved

1 lb seeded raisins, cut up

1 lb seedless raisins

1 lb currants

1 lb dates, cut up

1/2 lb citron, slivered

1 lb broken walnuts

1 lb butter

1 lb brown sugar

12 egg yolks

1 cup sherry or strong coffee

1/2 cup grape juice

1 cup orange juice

2 tbsp lemon juice

grated rind of 3 oranges

grated rind of 1 lemon

12 egg whites

Method :

Grease and line with greased brown paper four 9 x 5 x 3-inch (23 x 12.5 x 7.5-cm) loaf pans. Put a pan of hot water in bottom of oven. Sift flour, spices and salt together onto waxed paper. Combine fruit and nuts in large bowl. Measure out 1 cup (250ml) of the flour-spice mixture, add to the fruit and nuts and blend well. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until smooth and creamy. Blend in remaining flour mixture alternately with sherry or coffee, grape juice, orange juice and lemon juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Blend in grated orange and lemon rinds and fruit-nut mixture. Heat oven to 250F (120C). Beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Fold into fruit mixture. Spoon into prepared pans and bake about 3 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in pans then lift out by ends of paper and finish cooling on cake racks. Strip off paper, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and store in a cool dry place for several weeks before using.

Makes 4 cakes

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