Mary: I have not made this recipe myself. I found it on the internet and it looks quite close to what you described. Hope it helps. Rich Dark Fruit Cake

(This recipe is atleast 60 years old. It makes one
three- tiered wedding cake. This is a very
long recipe, but well worth the trouble.
You can substitute a cup of drained marischino
cherries for the candied cherries, if you like.)

Ingredients
6 cups raisins
3 cups currants
1 1/2 cups pitted dates
6 cups raisins
1 pound candied mixed citrus peel
1/2 pound candied cherries
2 cups almonds
2 cups butter
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground allspice
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon almond extract
2 cups white sugar
12 egg yolks
1/2 cup molasses
12 egg whites
1/2 cup grape juice
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

Directions
Wash and dry the raisins and the currants. Wash, dry,
pit, and chop the dates. Chop the raisins and the citrus
peel. Slice the cherries. Blanch the almonds, and slice
them lenthwise. Combine fruits and nuts in large bowl.

Grease and line 3 standard Christmas cake pans (these
round pans are at least 3 inches deep and come in a set
of three sizes- 5, 7, and 9 inch across) with 4 layers of
heavy waxed paper, or 3 layers of brown paper. Grease
again. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices
onto a piece of waxed paper. Remove 1 cup of this flour
mixture, and combine with fruit and nuts. Mix until fruit
is well coated.

Cream the butter until fluffy. Add extracts. Gradually
add sugar, mixing until creamy. Beat egg yolks until light
and lemon-colored, and beat into the butter mixture.
Stir in the molasses, and beat together well. Add half of
the remaining flour mixture, and blend thoroughly.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into batter.
Stir in lightly the remaining flour mixture alternately with
grape juice and coffee. Add floured fruit and nuts,
blending in until fruit is well distributed.

Turn batter into prepared cake tins, filling each about
2/3 full and spreading batter evenly. Bake in center of
oven. Bake small cake 2 1/2 hours, medium cake 3 1/2
hours, and large cake 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Remove from
oven and allow to stand 5 minutes, then turn out on
wire rack to cool.