Easy Light Fruitcake

Ingredients

• 6  almonds split
• 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 2 cups butter softened
• 1 pound candied cherries halved
• 1.5 cups candied fruit peel mixed
• 6  eggs 
• 5 cups flour all-purpose
• 6 cups golden raisins 
• 0.3 cup orange juice 
• 5 slices candied pineapple 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2 cups sugar white

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• loaf pan
• toothpicks
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line the bottom and sides of two greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans, and 1 round 4 1/2 inch x 3 inch deep pan with brown paper. Grease the paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together cherries, pineapple, raisins, mixed peel, 1 cup pecans, and 1 cup flour.
3. Mix until fruit is coated with flour.
4. In another large bowl, cream the butter or margarine and sugar together. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
5. Mix in orange juice and vanilla.
6. Combine 5 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in floured fruit and nuts.
7. Mix. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Fill each pan 3/4 full. Arrange split almonds over tops.
8. Bake for about 3 hours, until toothpick comes out clean. Cover with foil if top gets too dark while baking.