Holly Jolly Fruit Cake

What can I say? It's like Easter Marshmallow Peeps...you either love them or despise them. I would offer that if you dare to fess up to loving Marshmallow Peeps, you're gonna fess up to loving Fruit Cake, too. So, for all you fruit cakes who love Peeps...knock yourself out (literally) with Mom's recipe which includes 1/4 cup brandy or rum. IMPORTANT: Instead of diced mixture, you may substitute...4 oz. lemon peel, 3 oz. orange peel, 7 oz. pineapple, and 6 oz. citron.

• Ready In: 5 hrs
• Serves: 80
• Yields: 8 cakes

Ingredients

• 20  ounces  diced  mixed fruit
• 8  ounces  candied cherries, red and green
• 6  ounces pitted dates
• 4  ounces  seeded raisins
• 4  ounces walnut meats
• 4  ounces pecans
• 1  cup shortening
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup honey
• 5  eggs, well beaten
• 1 3⁄4 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄4 cup  either  orange juice, grape juice, brandy, rum

Directions

1. Line greased 3 1/2 x 7 1/2 inch loaf pans with waxed or parchment paper, allowing 1/2 inch to extend above all sides of pans. Do not flatten.
2. Shred fruit mix.
3. Halve cherries, nut meats, and dates. (If you use pineapple and citron instead, cut the size of almonds).
4. Dredge fruit in 1/4 cup flour.
5. In large bowl, cream shortening and sugar; add honey and eggs; beat well.
6. In small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour with dry ingredients.
7. Alternately add flour mixture and liquid of choice to the creamed mixture.
8. Pour batter over floured fruits and mix well.
9. Pour batter into prepared pans.
10. Place a pan containing 2 cups of water on bottom shelf while baking. Cakes baked with water have greater volume.
11. BAKE at 250 degrees 3-4 hours.
12. IF DECORATING with nuts and cherries, place on cakes 2 hours before done.
13. Before wrapping up cake the first time, mom drizzled brandy or rum over each cake. Then, once a week she drizzled more liquid on them.
14. Store in covered container in a cool place.