Japanese Fruit Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3 cups all-purpose flour , divided
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 6 large egg yolks
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup milk
• 6 large egg whites

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour four (9-inch) round cake pans.

2. 2

   Toss together raisins, coconut, and pecans with 1 cup flour in a medium bowl until well coated. Set aside.

3. 3

   Cream sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift together remaining 2 cups flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture in batches, alternating with milk, beating briefly after each addition. Fold in raisin mixture until incorporated.

4. 4

   Whip egg whites in a separate clean bowl to stiff peaks. Fold into batter until no streaks remain. Divide batter into the prepared cake pans.

5. 5

   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

6. 6

   Make filling: Combine sugar and flour in a saucepan; add water and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Chop oranges and lemons into small pieces and add to water mixture in the saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in coconut and set aside to cool.

7. 7

   Assemble cake with filling between cooled cake layers; end with filling on top.