Recipe Table of Contents

1 cup Steen's Pure Cane Syrup
2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 pkgs (15 ounces ea) raisins
1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
2 jars (1 lb ea) mixed candied fruit
1 1/4 tsps nutmeg
1 cup butter or margarine
3/4 tsp allspice
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp ground cloves
6 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice or brandy
3 cups coarsely chopped nuts

Blend together syrup and water in large, deep sauce pan. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Add raisins, bring to a boil again. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in candied fruit. Reserve. Cream together butter and sugar. Blend in eggs, one at a time. Sift together flour, baking soda and spices. Add to butter mixture alternately with orange juice. Stir in syrup mixture and nuts. Turn into a wax-paper-lined 10-inch tube pan or 2 wax-paper-lined 9 x 5 x 2 3/4 inch loaf pans. Bake in a oven at 325 degrees for 1 ½ hours. Cool.

Yield: One 7-pound or two 3 ½-pound fruitcakes.

To make fruitcake bonbons, take half of the above fruitcake mixture. Place paper baking cups in 1 3/4-inch cupcake pans. Spoon in fruitcake mixture. Bake in oven at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool before storing.

Yield: 5 dozen bonbons.