Yield:  Makes 14 cups of batter; 8 small loaves (5 1/2 x 3 x 2 1/8), 8
servings each or 4 average loaves (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4), 16 servings
each.

Advance preparation:  If you have the time, the fruit benefits from
macerating for 24 hours in rum or brandy; otherwise mix up the fruit before
you make the cakes.  Cakes can be wrapped in cloths soaked in brandy or
dark rum and stored in tins for (theoretically) several months.  I have
only kept them soaking up to 1 month because I prefer to freeze the cakes
after aging them in spirit-soaked clothes for 1 week.  At holiday time, I
am usually rushed, so I often forget the soaking and aging and just bake
the cakes, glaze them, wrap airtight in several layers of plastic wrap and
a heavy duty plastic zip-lock bag, and freeze.  Then you can remove from
the freezer, add a ribbon and a recipe card (and if you are feeling
expensive, a new loaf pan) and give as gifts.

Special equipment:
*8 small loaf pans (5 1/2 x 3 x 2 1/8 inches; 2 1/4 cup capacity) or 4
average loaf pans (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches; 5 1/4 cup capacity)
*Wax paper or baking parchment
*Extra large bowl
*Muslin, cotton fabric, or cheesecloth (optional)
*Metal or plastic boxes for storing cakes (optional)

Temperature and Time:  350F for 60-65 minutes for small loaves; 1 hour and
15-20 minutes for average loaves.

Fruit:
1 cup (6 oz) cut-up dried pears, packed
1 cup (6 oz) cut-up dried peaches, packed
1 cup (6 oz) cut-up dried apricots, packed
1 cup (6 oz) cut-up dried pitted prunes, packed
1 cup (6 oz) cut-up dried pitted dates, packed
1 3/4 cup (6 oz) cut-up dried apple slices, packed
1 cup (5 oz) seedless raisins, packed
1 cup (5 oz) golden raisins, packed
1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz) dried currants, packed
1/2 cup (4 oz) candied yellow pineapple, chopped (optional)
1 cup dark rum or brandy

Cake:
Butter-flavor nonstick cooking spray
4 large egg whites
1 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup apple or orange juice
2 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. grated orange zest or 1/2 tsp. pure orange oil or orange extract
2 1/4 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 cup unsifted whole wheat pastry flour (or use a total of 3 1/4 cups all
purpose white flour)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/3 cup wheat germ

Dark rum or brandy for soaking cakes (optional)
2 recipes Vanilla Icing Glaze (recipe follows)

1.  Twenty-four hours before baking the cakes (or as early on the baking
day as possible), assemble all the fruit in a large bowl.  Stir in the dark
rum or brandy, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

2.  Position 2 racks to divide the oven in thirds, and preheat the oven to
350°F. (NOTES : Try cooking the cakes at 325F instead as they were overcooked too
 early at 350F.) Lightly grease the pans with the nonstick spray.  Cut wax paper or
parchment liners or fit inside, and press the papers against the greased
pan bottom and sides.  Lightly coat the paper with cooking spray.

3.  In a large bowl, combine the egg whites, brown sugar, honey, juice,
applesauce, vanilla, and grated orange zest or orange flavoring.  Whisk, or
beat with an electric mixer on low, to blend well. Set a large strainer
over the bowl and ad both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, salt and
spices.  Stir and sift the dry ingredients onto the wet.  Add the wheat
germ.  With the whisk, or the mixer at low speed, mix until just blended.
Do not over beat.

 4.  Stir the spirit-soaked fruit into the batter and blend well.  Divide
the batter among the prepared pans, filling them about three quarters full.
(The batter is very heavy, and while it does rise, it will not overflow the
pans.)  Bake small loaves for about 60-65 minutes and regular loaves for
about 1 hour and 15-20 minutes, or until the cakes are risen and golden
brown on top, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

5.  Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes.  Then
tip them gently from the pans, peel off the paper, and set them right side
up on wire racks to cool completely.

6.  When the cakes are completely cool, if you like, wrap them in rum- or
brandy-soaked cloths, place in heavy-duty zip lock bags or plastic boxes,
and set in a cool, dark location to age for about 1 month.  Renew the
sprits when they dry out.  (Do not attempt to substitute fruit juice for
spirits; only alcohol will preserve the cakes.)

7.  To glaze the cakes, set them on racks over wax paper.  Drizzle some of
the glaze on top of each cake, letting it run down the sides. Let sit until
the glaze is dried and set, about 30 minutes.  When the glaze is hard, you
can wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and freeze them, or give them as gifts,
or slice and serve.

****************************
Vanilla Icing Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp. apple juice or strained orange juice, or dark rum or brandy
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk together the sugar, liquid and the extract.  Add a few more drops of
liquid if needed to make a glaze soft enough to drip from a spoon.

From Susan Purdy's, "Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

OTHER ICINGS: Apply after storing the cake(s). Recipes are for 1 average loaf (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4)

1. Simple Icing: In medium bowl, blend 1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons butter or margarine. Add 1teaspoon rum flavoring and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk; mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Ice after storing fruitcake. Garnish with candied fruit and pecan halves, if desired.

2. Buttercream: I also like use frost my fruitcakes with Tami's Buttercream - The Perfect One. Spread the remaining icing around the side of the cake, letting a little overflow onto the top. Pull the icing up into attractive peaks and mark into swirls with a flat knife or offset spatula.

3. Cover with Marzipan and then Royal Icing: garnish with candied fruit and pecan halves, if desired.

For the Almond Paste (Note: You can buy Almond Paste rather than making it. 1 pound will work)
41/2 cups ground almonds
11/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
11/2 cups superfine sugar
8 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon almond extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons apricot jam, heated and sieved

For the Royal Icing
3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
4 egg whites (for safety use pasteurized, powdered egg whites)
1 tablespoon glycerin, optional (See note)
2 teaspoons lemon juice

NOTE: Glycerin is used in cake decorating. It is a liquid, A colorless, odorless, syrupy liquid made from fats and oils and byproduct of the soap making process. It also softens fondant or royal icing, making it more palatable. Purchase glycerin from http://www.wilton.com

The Almond Paste
To make the almond paste, mix the ground almonds with the sifted icing sugar and the caster sugar, add the egg yolks and the almond or vanilla extract and mix together to form a soft, but not sticky, paste. Smooth the paste by kneading it very briefly on a work surface lightly sifted with icing sugar.
Remove the cake from its wrappings and put it, upside-down, in the center of a 12-inch round, silver or gold cake board, or on a cake stand, if preferred.

Using a fine, clean skewer, make several holes in the base of the cake, inserting the skewer to a depth of about 11/2 inches. Carefully spoon the whisky, brandy or rum over the base of the cake and allow it to gradually seep into the holes.

Roll out the almond paste to a neat round about 14-inches in diameter. Turn the cake right side up and brush all with the warm, sieved apricot jam.

To cover the cake with the almond paste, carefully lift the paste onto the cake and smooth it evenly over the top and down the sides, pressing it gently but firmly into position. Trim away any excess paste from around the bottom edge of the cake. Finally, smooth it with a palette knife.
Leave the cake, uncovered, in a cool, dry place for 24 hours to allow the almond paste to dry thoroughly before icing.

The Royal Icing
To make the icing, put the sifted icing sugar and the egg whites into a large mixing bowl and beat together until they are smooth, white and fluffy. Beat the glycerin and lemon juice into the egg white mixture.

Spoon 3 tablespoons of the icing mixture onto the cake and spread it evenly over the top only. Using a clean, metal ruler, smooth the icing by pulling the ruler over the top of the cake. Trim the excess icing from around the edge of the cake and leave overnight to allow the icing to dry.

Put the remaining icing into a clean bowl, cover the surface closely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Next day, beat the icing up again and give the top of the cake another coat, spreading it evenly and then smoothing with a ruler as before.

Spread the remaining icing around the side of the cake, letting a little overflow onto the top. Pull the icing up into attractive peaks and mark into swirls with a flat knife or offset spatula.

Allow the icing to dry once more overnight, then decorate with a traditional Christmas ornament of your choice.