Dad's Pride Fruitcake

Total Time: 73 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 72 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (7 ounce) package marzipan
• 6 ounces chopped dried figs
• 1 cup chopped dried pear half
• 1 cup golden raisin
• 1 cup currants
• 1 cup chopped dried apricot
• 1 cup diced dates
• 1 cup chopped dried prune
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 9 ounces none such condensed mincemeat, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 8 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• brandy
• cheesecloth

Recipe

• 1 2 days before: combine chopped dried figs, chopped dried pears, chopped dried apricots, chopped dried prunes, golden raisins, currants with brandy cover.
• 2 1 day before: cut marzipan into 1/2 inch pieces place on plate in single layer, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
• 3 baking day: generously spray 4 8 x 33/4 x 21/2 disposable loaf pans with pan spray preheat oven to 325°f.
• 4 beat 1 1/2 cups butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until light.
• 5 beat in eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg and salt.
• 6 stir in flour in 4 additions.
• 7 stir in dried fruit mixture and any soaking liquid from bowl, crumbled mincemeat, dates and nuts gently stir in frozen marzipan pieces.
• 8 evenly spoon batter among prepared pans.
• 9 place pans on baking sheet.
• 10 bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• 11 cool cakes completely in pans on racks.
• 12 you'll need 4 sections of cheese cloth dip cheesecloth in brandy wrap each cake, wrap that in aluminum foil and put the cakes some place to season.
• 13 check it once a week to and re-soak cloth.
• 14 (the cloth if it has dried out) allow to season at least 3 weeks.