Recipe(tried): Janet's Santa Barbara Fruitcake

You must let the cake age at least a week before you devour same as it gives it time to mellow. I have been working on this recipe for a couple of years and think it is just about perfect. I hope you enjoy it.

Janet's Santa Barbara Fruitcake

In a large bowl stir together:
1 pound pitted, chopped dates
1 - 1 1/2 lbs chopped (coarse chop) pecans
1/2 pound candied cherries, cut in half
1/2 pound candied pineapple, cut up
(I try to use red, green and plain pineapple and mix the color on the cherries also, it makes for a prettier fruitcake)

In another bowl mix together until well mixed:
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder (make sure its fresh!)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp, freshly grated nutmeg
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

Pour the batter over the fruit/nut mixture and mix until well combined (by hand)
Spoon and pack the batter into either loaf pans (I use the foil pans you can get at the store) But you could use regular loaf pans lined with brown paper, or an angel food cake pan lined with brown paper. Bake the cake(s) in a preheated 250 degree oven for about two hours for the angel cake pan, one and a half hours for the standard loaf size pans or about an hour or so for the smaller loaf pans. The recipe makes about four pounds of the most delicious cake. Cool the cakes completely before you wrap in foil to age for at least one week. Chilling the cake before serving makes cutting much easier.

I give this only to people I really love because making them is rather expensive. Enjoy!