"No, no, not the dreaded FRUITCAKE..." Fear not: this moist, dark cake is loaded with yummy-tasting dried fruits, not the icky, bitter citrus peel you remember from your childhood.

Fruit
You'll need a total of about 2 to 2 3/4 pounds dried fruit.*
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) dried pineapple
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) sultanas or raisins
1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) dried apricots, diced
1 1/2 cups (7 7/8 ounces) dates
6 ounces candied cherries (reserve a few for decorating the tops of the cakes)
1/3 cup 2 1/4 ounces) diced crystallized ginger (optional)
3/4 cup (6 ounces) dark rum or brandy

Batter
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter
2 cups (15 ounces) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons (3/8 ounce) black cocoa OR 1 teaspoon burnt sugar
1/2 cup (5 1/2 ounces) golden syrup or dark corn syrup
1/2 cup (4 ounces) apple juice, cranberry juice or water
2 cups (8 ounces) chopped, toasted nuts (almonds, pecans or walnuts)
rum, brandy, or vanilla syrup, for topping

*Our Fruitcake Fruits are a delicious mixture, and the perfect amount for this recipe.

The Fruit: Combine all of the fruit ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and soak overnight.

The Batter: Cream the butter until soft, then add the sugar, spices and baking powder. Beat in the eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and cocoa. Add about half of the flour mixture and all the syrup to the batter. Then add the remaining flour and the juice or water and mix well. Fold in the fruits, any remaining liquid, and the nuts.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grease the bottom and sides of the pans or line them with parchment paper. This recipe makes enough for 7 mini-loaf pans; 16 loaves baked in mini-loaf sets; or two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Spoon the batter into the pans, filling them about 3/4 full.

Bake the cakes on the middle shelf of a preheated 300°F oven -- 65 minutes for the smallest loaves, 75 minutes for the medium loaves, and 2 hours, 15 minutes for the large loaves. The cakes are done when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven, and brush them with rum or brandy. Let them cool, then remove them from the pans. Brush all surfaces with rum, brandy or vanilla syrup. (If you like just a hint of rum or brandy flavor, add 1 tablespoon of liquor to 3/4 cup vanilla syrup and brush this mixture on the cakes.)

Wrap the cakes in parchment paper, then in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and store them in a cool, dry place. Unwrap the cakes every week (for up to 5 weeks) and brush them with more syrup. By the fifth week the cakes will have absorbed as much liquid as they're able. They'll keep for several months this way, as long as they're tightly wrapped. The flavor improves and mellows over time. Yield: a possible plethora of fruitcakes.