White Fruit Cake

White Fruit Cake

*Makes 3 loaves

3 1/2 cubes of butter (1 3/4 cup)

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 oz (scant 1/3 cup) vanilla extract

6 eggs, beaten

4 cups flour

2 pounds nuts

1 pound mixed fruit

1 packaged candied cherries

3 cups white raisins

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Grease and line with parchment, 3 8" or 9" loaf pans.  Cream together the butter and sugar.  Then slowly add the boiling water and baking soda to the mixture.  Mix well.  Stir in the vanilla and beat in the eggs.

In a large bowl combine the nuts, mixed fruit, cherries and raisins.  Then add the flour to the fruit/nut mixture and stir to coat.  Pour creamed mixture over the nuts and fruit and mix with your hands.  Press evenly into the three prepared pans.  Put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven until the last 1/2 hour of baking.  Bake for 1 3/4 hours or until done.

Notes from my Grandma and from Dorothy about the recipe: I usually add Brazil nuts, pecans and walnuts.  I also use more cherries and pineapple in place of half the mixed fruit.  OR I used one large pkg red cherries and 1 small pkg green cherries and 1 small pkg pineapple chunks and 1/2 of large pkg of mixed fruit. 

Recipe Source: Lillian Ulmer/Dorothy