Mike's Fabulous Fruitcake

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried currant
• 1 lb dried apricot
• 1/2 lb dried dates
• 1/2 lb dried fig
• 1/4 lb candied orange peel
• 1/4 lb candied lemon peel
• 1/4 lb crystallized ginger
• 1/2 lb walnuts
• 3 cups southern comfort
• 1 lb flour
• 1 lb brown sugar
• 1 lb butter
• 2 tablespoons lyle golden syrup
• 8 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 -4 cups southern comfort, for soaking,as needed (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 275 degrees f.
• 2 coarsely chop fruit, orange and lemon peel, ginger, and walnuts, then soak overnight in southern comfort.
• 3 in a very large bowl (a very big kitchenaid mixer works well) beat together the butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
• 4 add in flour, spices, and fruit-nut mixture.
• 5 put in a greased 10-inch square pan or put in greased mini loaf pans; do not fill pans more than 2/3 full.
• 6 if using one pan, set it in a water bath to bake, but a water bath is not necessary for mini-loaves; bake at 275 degrees f for 3-4 hours (1-2 hours for mini loaves).
• 7 cakes are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean and dry.
• 8 optional: soak finished fruitcake (s), wrapped in cheesecloth, in additional southern comfort.
• 9 optional (preferred): let loaves"cure" for about 30 days in an airtight container in a cool place.
• 10 makes about 25-30 mini loaves or 3 to 4 full sized loaves.