“As you can see from the picture, this makes a rich dark fruitcake. It came out well, but was a little dry. I think it would be much improved by being aged in liquor soaked cloth. Adopted from Recipezaar.”
Ingredients
3/4 cupbutter, room temperature
1 1/2 cupslight brown sugar, packed
4eggs
1cupcheddar cheese, shredded
3 1/2 cupsunbleached flour
1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspooncinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoonclove, ground
16ouncesdates, pitted, finely chopped
2cupspecans, chopped
4ouncescandied cherries, halved, 1jar
2cupsraisins, golden
1cupmilk
Decoration
4candied pineapple slices(optional)
12almonds, whole blanched(optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. and grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium, until well blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in the cheddar cheese.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves into a medium bowl.
In another medium bowl, combine the dates, pecans, cherries and raisins.
Add 2 Tbls of the flour mixture, tossing lightly to coat the fruit and nuts.
Alternately beat the remaining flour mixture and milk into the butter mixture until well blended.
Stir in the floured fruit mixture by hand until distributed throughout the batter.
Turn into the prepared pan.
Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven until the cakes shrinks from the side of the pan and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack then remove from the pan.
Cool completely on the wire rack.
When cool, store in a container with a tight lid for up to 6 weeks.
