Festive Fruitcake I

Ingredients

• 12 cups raisins
• 3 cups dried currants
• 2 pounds candied mixed fruit
• 1 pound candied cherries
• 1 , 16 ounce
• 1.25 cups dates , pitted and chopped
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups butter , softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 12 eggs yolks
• 1 , 20 ounce
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons cocoa
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 cup orange juice
• 4 cups whole or chopped walnuts
• 12 eggs whites

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease four 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans, and then line with brown paper or foil. Grease again.

2. 2

   In a large container stir raisins, currants, candied fruit mix, candied cherries, maraschino cherries, dates, and 1 cup flour together until all the fruit is well coated with flour.

3. 3

   Measure 2 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Stir to mix.

4. 4

   In a very large bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat in egg yolks three at a time. Stir in pineapple with juice and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 parts alternately with fruit juice in 2 parts to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in walnuts.

5. 5

   In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold egg whites into batter, and stir in fruit gently. Divide batter among pans. Smooth.

6. 6

   Bake for about 3 hours until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean.