Instructions

1. ___ The Day Before___
2. Measure nuts, raisins, currants, dates and mixed peel and fruit into a large bowl. I use my roasting pan. Drain cherries and keep the juice.
3. Chop cherries and add to fruit/ nut mixture. Stir in brandy and cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight ..at least one day or even two.
4. In a heavy saucepan simmer the can of crushed pineapple{ dont drain }with 2 cups of sugar, cook uncovered for 30 minutes until mixture is thick..
5. Add the reserved cherry juice and strawberry jam. This must be cool before adding to the cake mixture,so I do it the day before or early in the day I make the cake..
6. ___Cake Pans___
7. Prepare the cake pans by greasing them, then lining them with heavy brown paper and then greasing the paper. This recipe makes enough to fill 4 or 5 loaf pans . I make small ones to use as gifts.
8. ____On The Day You Make The Cake____
9. Preheat oven to 275
10. Stir or sift the flour with spices, salt and soda.
11. Sprinkle a cup of this flour over the fruit and nuts
12. and toss to mix well. Set remaining flour aside.
13. In a large bowl cream 2 1/2 cups of sugar with butter.
14. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the dry ingredients
15. alternating with the pineapple jam mixture, combining lightly after each addition..
16. Pour over the coated fruit and nuts. Mix well until all combined.
17. Turn into the prepared pans. They can be filled to about an inch from the top..
18. Bake in preheated oven 3 -3 1/2 hours depending on the size of your pans.
19. Put a shallow pan of water on bottom rack,, The cakes should be fairly firm to the touch when done and a skewer inserted in middle should come out clean.
20. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and peel off paper.. Cool on racks then wrap in plastic wrap, store in airtight container.
21. in fridge or can freeze..
22. Enjoy!!!