Sheila’s Fruit Cake

Sheila's Fruit Cake

2015-01-28 10:34:57

Ingredients

1 lb Marachino Cherries (I use 3 10oz jars of cherries with stems, they are firmer)
1 lb Pitted Dates
1 Cup Brazil Nuts
2 Cups Walnut Halves
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tbs Butter
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Sherry
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Rum (at a minimum)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 5 small or 1 regular loaf pan Put a square of waxed paper on the bottom as well.
In a large bowl, mix cherries, dates and nuts with 1/2 cup flour to coat. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream sugar and butter then add well beaten eggs. Blend in the sherry, slowly add the rest (1 cup) of the flour, baking powder and salt.
Combine dough, fruit and nuts in a large bowl. Spoon into bread pan/s and immediately put in the oven to minimize the time the batter has to ooze to the bottom of the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees small loaf pans 40 to 50 minutes, regular loaf pan 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees. Remove from pan and cool on a baking rack.
The traditional way to soak them in rum is to wrap them in soaked cheesecloth. I put the cooled loaf back in the pan and pour rum along the top of the loaf so that it runs down the sides. I then put the wet loaf onto a piece of Saran Wrap and wrap it with the Saran Wrap. Repeat once daily 2 to 4 times. Then weekly for as long as you can hold out. Its nice to bake them around Thanksgiving to have them for the Holidays.

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