White Fruit Cake

This recipe is from the 2010 St. Mary's cookbook Keeping the Feast. Copies are available for $15; email Sherrie Simmonds to arrange purchase and delivery.

White Fruit Cake
Margaret Sharrow
about 30 minutes prep time plus 2 hours total baking time

Editor's note:
'Tis the season for fruitcake! But this fruitcake is probably not the kind you are familiar with. Give it a try! If you're not a fan of glazed fruit (or can't find any in the shops), try increasing the amount of the other fruits, or substituting a mixture of golden raisins and candied cherries.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups nuts
1 pound mixed glazed fruit
1/2 pound pitted dates
1/2 pound dried apricots
1/2 pound shredded coconut
1 cup canned crushed pineapple

Drain pineapple and reserve juice. Sift together flour and baking powder. Mix 1/3 cup flour with fruit and nuts and set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, with 3 tablespoons flour, beating well after each addition. Add 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice and remaining flour. Add nuts and fruit. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, then increase temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more.