JAPANESE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter insides of 2 9-inch layer cake pans. Sprinkle with flour and shake out excess.
• Cream together sugar and 1/2 pound of butter in mixing bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift together 3 1/3 cups flour and baking powder and add mixture to batter alternately with milk and vanilla.
• Spoon and scrape half batter into one of prepared pans and smooth over top with spatula. Set aside.
• To remaining batter add allspice, cinnamon and cloves.
• Chop raisins and pecans and add them. Blend well. Spoon and scrape mixture into second pan. Smooth over top. Place in oven and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until straw inserted into center comes out clean. White cake will cook faster than fruit-and-nut cake.
• Remove layers from oven and let cool on rack about 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and let stand until completely cool.
• To prepare filling, combine 1 cup of water, lemon juice, lemon rind, 2 cups of coconut and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil.
• Combine cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Blend well and stir this into sauce. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture mounds or lumps when dropped from spoon (the temperature should be 205 to 210 degrees). Let cool.
• Place fruit-and-nut cake on cake plate and frost the top. Top this with white cake. Frost cake, top and sides. Sprinkle remaining coconut over the cake. The cake may be served immediately but is best if left to stand a day or so.