This is a wonderful recipe I found this last year on a tub of candied Cherry-Pineapple mix from Kroger (store brand for Smith’s). I had to test it out and this is by far the best fruitcake alternative I’ve tried yet (as opposed to my family’s applesauce batter recipe which is fabulous). For those of you who don’t like the bitter orange peal or citron, this may be the ideal fruitcake for you (of course if you like that stuff you can add it in). The butter batter is to die for.

Cherry-Pineapple Fruit Cake

• 4 C pecans or walnuts
• 2 lbs candied cherries and pineapple
• 1 3/4 C flour
• 1/2 lb butter
• 1 C sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. lemon extract

Chop fruit and nuts, dredge with quarter cup of the flour. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Combine flour and baking powder, mix in butter mixture, stir in vanilla, lemon extract, fruit and nuts.

Grease a 10-inch tube pan or 2 loaf pans (I’d do the latter after trying to get this out of the bundt pan in one piece and failing). Pour batter into prepared pan/s. Place in a cold oven and bake at 250 degrees for 2 hrs for the tube pan or 1 and a half hours for the loaf pans. Baking times may vary. Let cool in pan before removing.

People who don’t ordinarily go for ‘fruit cake’ at our party each year enjoyed this recipe and it was a big hit with several neighbors.

Merry Christmas!!!