Christmas Cake

Ingredients

• 0.8 cup apple juice 
• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda 
• 4.5 ounce blanched slivered almonds 
• 0.5 cup brandy 
• 2 cups brown sugar packed
• 1 cup butter 
• 16 ounce candied cherries 
• 8 ounce candied citrus peel mixed
• 1 cup dates pitted chopped
• 1 cup currants dried
• 6  eggs 
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 0.8 cup blackstrap molasses 
• 2 cups raisins 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking paper
• oven
• toothpicks
• cake form

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine cherries, citrus peel, raisins, currants, dates, and almonds. Stir in brandy; let stand 2 hours, or overnight. Dredge soaked fruit with 1/2 cup flour.
2. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease an 8x8x3 inch fruit cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease again. In a small bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking soda, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter until light. Gradually blend in brown sugar and eggs.
4. Mix together molasses and apple juice. Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture, making 4 dry and 3 liquid additions. Fold in floured fruit. Turn batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.
6. Remove from pan, and lift off paper. Cool cake completely, then wrap loosely in waxed paper. Store in an airtight container.