Talley Fruitcake

Source: Bill Talley Ages Ago

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs. Dates
• 1 lb. Candied Pineapple
• 1 lb. Candied Cherries (whole)
• 2 cups Sifted Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 4 Eggs
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 lbs. Pecan Halves
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• ½ cup Brandy, Bourbon Or Wine (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease two 9 x 5 x2 loaf pans or 4 small loaf pans and line with greased brown paper.

Cut dates and pineapple into large pieces and place in a large bowl with cherries.

Sift flour and baking powder together over fruit, separating the pieces so that all are well coated; set aside.

Beat eggs until frothy and add salt. Gradually beat in sugar. Stir in vanilla. Pour egg mixture over floured fruit and mix well with a large wooden spoon. Stir in nuts.

Pack fruit cake batter into prepared pans and press down. Bake large loaves 2 hours or small ones 1½ hours. When done, the tops of the cakes will look dry. Remove from oven and cool a few minutes in pans. Then turn cakes out onto a rack or towel, remove brown paper and cool completely.

If desired, make several fine punctures in tops of cakes with a skewer and sprinkle with heated liquor. Wrap cakes in liquor-soaked cheesecloth, then loosely with foil. Store in an air-tight container in a cool place for several weeks. Serve with Lawwill Hard Sauce. Cakes may be frozen.

2 large or 4 small loaves.

Lawwill Hard Sauce

• ½ cup Butter, softened
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 2 tablespoons Kirsch
• 2 tablespoons Brandy

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with Talley Fruit Cake or Christmas Plum Pudding.

1 pint.