California Fig Fruitcake

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 30
• 2 cups california dried figs, chopped
• 1/2 cup golden raisin
• 1/2 cup dates, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried pears, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried pineapple, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried apricot, chopped
• 1/4 cup sherry wine
• 1/2 cup apricot nectar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon lemon extract
• 3 cups pecans, chopped & lightly toasted

Recipe

• 1 combine figs, raisins, dates, pears & pineapple in a large bowl with the sherry. marinate overnight at room temp covered with plastic wrap.
• 2 the next day, simmer apricots in nectar 10 minutes & then cool. drain marinated fruits (save sherry!) & add apricots after draining (add nectar to drained sherry).
• 3 grease & line bottom of 5 baby loaf pans (5 5/8 x 3 1/4 x 1 7/8 inch) with brown paper (grease again after laying paper in pans). i have used a 12 cup bundt pan with good results - increasing cooking time by 30 minutes & then checking with toothpick.
• 4 sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder & cinnamon.
• 5 in a large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. add lemon extract or zest & vanilla & mix. add flour, baking powder & cinnamon to wet ingredients & mix lightly to make batter.
• 6 using remaining 1/4 cups of flour to dredge fruits & nuts in a separate bowl.
• 7 add fruit & nuts to batter & blend well.
• 8 pour into prepared pans & place in cold oven on middle rack. put a pan of cold water in bottom of oven & turn oven on to 250 degrees f.
• 9 bake 2 hours until golden & tester comes out clean. cool cakes on wire rack. remove brown paper while still warm.
• 10 wrap each fruitcake in cheesecloth moistened with sherry/nectar & then in heavy weight aluminum foil.
• 11 refrigerate 2 to 4 weeks, moistening with sherry when cheesecloth seems to be getting dry.
• 12 for gift-giving, overwrap with red cellophane & top with a bow.