mom's fruitcake

Ingredients

• Servings: 3
• 1 cup dried currants
• 2 cups raisins
• 1 cup candied cherries
• 1 ounce small gum drops, no licorice ones
• 2 cups pitted dates, cut in half
• 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1/4 cup
• 1 cup apple jelly
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 1/4 cups butter
• 3 cups white sugar
• 7 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Recipe

• pour boiling water over raisins and currants to cover. let steam for 5 minutes, then drain. in a very large bowl combine currants, raisins, gum drops, candied cherries, pitted dates, jelly, spices, and or fruit juice. stir to blend. cover and let stand overnight.
• preheat oven to 275 degrees f (135 degrees c). grease three 8x4 inch loaf pans.
• cream the butter and the sugar together until light and creamy. add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. stir in the vanilla.
• sift the flour and baking soda together.
• add the flour mixture alternately with the fruit mixture to the creamed mixture. pour evenly into three loaf pans.
• bake at 275 degrees f (135 degrees c) for 2-1/4 to 3 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean.