from Barbara, a specialty at Christmas 250F for 2 1/4 to 3 hours

In a large bread pan, dredge the following fruit mixture with 1 cup of flour:

1 pound currants

3 pounds light raisins

1/2 pound chopped dates

2 pounds mixed glaced fruit

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups slivered almonds

6 oz red maraschino cherries, drained(save the juice)

6 oz green maraschino cherries (don’t save)

Cream

together the following, using a kitchen mixer (or by hand):

1 pound butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

Blend into the creamed mixture and beat thoroughly:

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. almond flavouring

1 Tbsp. lemon flavouring

1/2 cup sour cream

10 well beaten eggs

1/2 cup thick strawberry jam

100 mL (or 1/2 cup) of the cherry juice or apple juice

Sift

together the following:

4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

4 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cloves

Add the spiced flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Pour this batter over the fruit mixture (still in the large bread pan) and mix thoroughly. We usually put this into 8 bread pans (lined with brown paper) and cook at 250F for about 2 hours, 15 minutes (until the toothpick test indicates it is done). Dump from the pans in 15 minutes and remove from the paper one-hour later. [When we used to bake 5 cakes in larger glass pans the time was about 3 hours]

This recipe comes from Barbara’s mother, Margaret Johnston.