Carolina fruitcake

4      ounces        candied orange peel
   4      ounces        candied lemon peel
   1      pound         candied cherries -- halved
   1      pound         candied pineapple -- chunked
   1      pound         candied citron -- chunked
   2      pounds        golden raisins -- (Sultanas)
   1      pound         seedless raisins
   8      ounces        figs -- coarsely chopped
   8      ounces        dates -- coarsely chopped
   2      pounds        pecan halves -- (8 cups)
   4      cups          all-purpose flour -- sifted
   1      teaspoon      ground cinnamon
     1/2  teaspoon      ground allspice
     1/2  teaspoon      ground nutmeg
     1/2  teaspoon      ground cloves
                        Batter:
   1      pound         butter
   2 1/2  cups          sugar
  12      large         eggs -- beaten
   1 1/4  cups          all-purpose flour -- sifted
   1      teaspoon      salt

Reserve some of the candied fruit and a few pecan halves to decorate the
tops o
f the fruitcakes. Mix flour and spices thoroughly, then mix the flour
mixture w
ith the fruit so that each piece of fruit and each nut is coated lightly
with f
lour.  I usually do this part the first day and set it aside until the next
mor
ning.

Cream butter (or margarine); add sugar gradually.  Add eggs, mixing
thoroughly.
    Stir in flour and salt until well blended.	Pour batter over fruit-nut
  mixtur
e.  Mix with hands until fruit and nuts are well coated with batter.

Spread mixture in a greased roasting pan (17 x 11 1/2 x 2 1/4 inches). 
Bake in
  preheated moderated oven (350°F) for 30 minutes.  Reduce heat to slow
 (325°F) an
d continue baking for 1 hour.  Watch the heat carefully; do NOT overbake. 
Afte
r 45 minutes of second baking, remove roaster from oven and quickly stir
mixtur
e, breaking up the top crust, scraping sides and bottom of pan.  Continue
bakin
g 15 minutes.  When done, the batter will lose its gloss and be brown and
crumb
ly.  In the meantime, grease pans you wish to use:  Loaf pans, muffin pans,
cof
fee cans, decorated tins, etc.	I have also lined them with paper baking
liners
.  

[Get reliable help for this part if you can!  It has to be done quickly and
the
  cake has to be packed firmly.]  Spoon cake, while hot, into one pan at a
 time,
  making a layer about 3/4-inch thick, pressing firmly, adding another
 layer, pr
essing, and so on until pan is full. If the batter gets too cold to mold
proper
ly, put the roaster pan back in the oven to heat for a few minutes, but
watch i
t carefully to avoid overcooking.  Decorate while hot with crystallized
fruit a
nd nuts.  If packed carefully, this cake may be sliced very thin.

Optional storage:  Cut pieces of clean, washed but not starched, cloth to
16 x 
20 inches, or whatever size you need for your cakes.  Soak cloth in brandy.
 I 
have used Napoleon brandy and I have used apple brandy.  Wrap the cake
tightly 
with the soaked cloth.	Place in a ziplock plastic bag and store airtight. 
Che
ck periodically, and renew the brandy if necessary.  

I usually bake these at Thanksgiving or thereabouts for Christmas giving,
and t
hey store nicely using the above method.  If I were going to keep one for
month
s, I'd freeze it--but my mother has successfully stored them in brandy
cloths f
or up to 6 months.

like t
he mini-bundt pans, 1-pound loaf pans, paper-lined cookie tins, and 1-pound
cof
fee cans.  I've given a ton of these as Christmas gifts, and fruitcake
connoiss
eurs love them.