Fruitcake Bars

This recipe comes from Favorite Brand Name 100 Best Holiday Cookies cookbook. Sounds like an easier way to serve fruitcake. Splenda brown sugar blend would work well for the brown sugar.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 30
• Yields: 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1  cup  dried apricot, diced
• 1  cup pitted dates, diced
• 2  tablespoons rum or 2  tablespoons  orange juice
• 1  cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 3  eggs
• 1  orange, zest of
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups pecans, toasted, chopped
• 1  cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3⁄4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine the apricots, dates and rum or orange juice in a small bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
4. With an electric mixer beat the brown sugar and butter in a large bowl on medium speed until well blended.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; stir in the orange zest and vanilla beating until blended.
6. Add the flour and salt; beating until blended.
7. Stir in the dried fruit, pecans and semisweet chocolate chips.
8. Spread the batter in prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and edges begin to pull away from the sides of pan.
9. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips; let stand until the chips are spreadable.
10. Spread the chips gently over the top, cool completely on a wire rack and cut into bars.