Old-English Fruit Cake

1 pound butter 1 pound brown sugar 12 eggs separated 4 cups flour 2 teaspoons each cinnamon, mace, cloves (this is what makes it dark) 1 teaspoons each allspice, nutmeg, salt (this too) 1 pound mixed candied fruit 1 pound candied cherries 1 pound seeded raisins 1 pound seedless raisins 1 pound currants 1 pound pitted dates, cut in pieces 1/2 pound diced citron (optional) I would leave this out citron is very strong tasting and this is what people usually do not like in fruitcake. Use candied pineapple instead. 1 pound broken walnuts 1 cup rum or brandy 1/2 cup double-strength coffee grated peel and juice of 3 medium sized oranges grated peel and juice of 1 lemon Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add well beaten egg yolks and stir vigorously until smooth and creamy. Sift flour, measure, and sift with spices. Combine candied fruit, cherries, seeded raisins, seedless raisins, currants, dates, pineapple and walnuts, and mix lightly with 1 cup of the spiced flour. Add remaining flour to batter, blending alternately with mixture of rum, coffee, and fruit peel and juices. Add fruit and nut mixture and mix well. Beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, then fold into batter. Butter 4 loaf pans (5 X 9) line with brown paper and butter again, Spoon in batter. Bake in a very slow oven 250 for 3 hours 30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. (I would put a shallow pan filled with water on the bottom shelf of the oven.) Emily Jorge From : Sunset Magazine