$$$,$$$,$$$ FRUITCAKE (UNUSUAL AND WORTH IT)

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Baking time 1 hr.+ 30 mins. Grease a 10-inch tube pan, and line bottom of pan with foil, grease foil.
• 2. Note:I reserved the prunes, figs, apricots and some of the pecans, to decorate the baked fruitcake and in Step #7. In a separate bowl combine dates, cherries, pineapple, dried lemon, candied lemon and some of the chopped pecans. These can be stirred into the batter after mixing it as directed in Step #4
• 3. In another large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and shortening until just blended. Increase speed to high, beat until light and fluffy.
• 4. Add flour,b.powder,salt,vanilla and eggs to the sugar/shortening mixture. Beat at low speed until mixture is just blended. Stir in dried fruit. Note: Add the mixture of dates,cherries, pineapple,dried lemon,candied lemon and pecans at this point.
• 5. Spoon into pan and bake, until toothpick inserted in mid-cake comes out clean, about one and a half hours.
• 6. Cool cake completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan and carefully peel of the foil. At this point I added glaze and decorated the cake. Wrap fruitcake in plastic wrap or foil tightly, and refrigerate overnight so cake will be firm and easy to slice.
• 7. Optional-Glaze: In a small pan heat apricot preserves until just melted, stirring occasionally. Brush cake with half of preserves. Garnish with dried fruit, cherries and pecans.
• 8. This cake may be made a month in advance or a day ahead.