Recipe: Dried-Fruit Fruit cake

Dear Peggie,
This recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens "Old Fashioned Home Baking". I've never made this recipe but it looks good. Hopefully I'll get around to making it this year.

Dried-Fruit Fruitcake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp finely shredded orange peel
1/2 cup orange OR apple juice
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup snipped dried apricots
1/2 cup pitted whole dates, snipped
1/2 cup dried red cherries*
1/2 cup chopped pecans OR walnuts
Brandy, OR orange, OR apple juice

Grease and lightly flour an 8 inch fluted mold or a 6 1/2 cup ring mold. OR, grease an 8x4x2inch loaf pan. Line loaf pan with parchment paper; grease paper. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and soda; set aside. In a large bowl beat margarine or butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or till softened. Add brown sugar; beat till combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed till combined. (Batter may appear curdled.) In a small bowl combine peel, the 1/2 cup orange juice, corn syrup, and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and orange juice mixture to margarine mixture, beating on low speed after each addition JUST TILL COMBINED.

Combine apricots, dates, cherries, and pecans. Fold into batter. Spread in prepared pan. Bake in a 300F oven about 1 hour in tube or ring mold or about
1 1/2 hours in loaf pan or till cake tests done. (If necessary, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 to 30 minutes to prevent overbrowning.) Cool cake in tube or ring mold on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Or completely cool cake in loaf pan on rack; remove from pan. Wrap cake in brandy or fruit-juice moistened cheesecloth. Place on a piece or foil; wrap well. Store on a plate in fridge for 2 to 8 weeks to mellow flavors. Remoisten cheesecloth with brandy or juice once a week or as needed. Serves 16.

*If desired, substitute 1/4 cup snipped dried apricots plus 1/4 cup whole pitted dates, for the 1/2 cup dried red cherries.