Recipe: Japanese Fruitcake with Filling (3) for Suzy

Japanese Fruitcake with Filling
(8 servings)

1 c Butter, at room temperature
2 c Sugar
4 Eggs
3 c Flour
1/2 ts Salt
3 ts Baking powder
1 c Milk
1 tb Orange rind,grated
1 ts Vanilla
1 ts Allspice
1 ts Ginger
1/2 c Raisins
1/2 c Pecans,chopped
1 tb Flour
1 1/2 c Coconut,grated
Candied cherries (opt)

FRUIT FILLING:
2 tb Flour
1 Juice of 3 lemons
1 c Sugar
1 cn Pineapple (20 oz)*
2 Egg yolks
1/2 c Pecans chopped

Preheat oven to 350'F. Grease and flour 3 9-inch layer cake pans. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until soft and fluffy. Beat eggs until light and add to butter-sugar mixture.

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together and add alternately to batter with milk. Stir in vanilla and orange rind; beat well. Spread 2/3 of the batter into 2 of the 3 prepared pans.

Add allspice and ginger to remaining batter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the raisins and nuts to coat, then add to batter and mix well. Spread spiced batter into remaining third pan.

Bake layers at 350'F. for 30 minutes, or until cake tests down and sides shrink from pan. Invert on wire rack and allow to cool.

When completely cool, spread fruit filling between layers and thinly over the top and side of cake, using a flat-bladed knife to spread evenly. (Place the fruit/spice layer in the middle when stacking layers.) Cover top and side of cake with the coconut. Decorate with red and green candied cherries in a wreath design if desired.

FRUIT FILLING:
* - pineapple should be crushed & drained. Combine all ingredients in top half of a double boiler over, not in, simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. It should be quite thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool, stirring occasionally.

JAPANESE FRUITCAKE

1 cup shortening (part butter)
2 cup sugar
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup chopped nuts
2/3 cup chopped raisins
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. allspice
3/4 tsp. mace
1/2 tsp. cloves

Heat oven to 350 degrees (moderate). Grease and flour three layer pans, 9 x 1 1/2 inch. Cream shortening and sugar together until fluffy. Beat eggs in thoroughly, one at a time. Mix flour, soda, and salt. Stir into creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and vanilla. Pour 1/3 of batter into one of the prepared pans.

Blend rest of ingredients into remaining batter. Pour into two remaining prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. If oven is small, refrigerate one layer until others are baked. When cake is cool, put layers together with Japanese Fruitcake Filling, the light layer in the middle. Frost with a white icing. When using self-rising flour, omit salt and reduce soda to 1/4 teaspoon.

JAPANESE FRUITCAKE FILLING

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 (1 lb. 4 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained (reserve 3/4 c. syrup)
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 tbsp. grated orange rind
1/4 cup orange juice (from 1 orange)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 cup grated coconut (fresh or packaged)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix sugar, salt, and cornstarch in saucepan. Slowly stir in reserved pineapple syrup. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil one minute. Remove from heat. Blend in butter, orange rind, orange juice, and lemon juice. Cool. Stir in coconut, pineapple, and pecans.