Christmas Cake

An old-fashioned Christmas spice cake laden with plumped up raisins and chopped dates and crunchy nuts.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
2 cups granulated or brown sugar
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 cups boiling water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Cooking Directions:

1. Place raisins, dates, sugar, shortening and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
2. Sift flour, soda and spices together and stir in cooled fruit mixture.
3. Toss nuts with 1 tablespoon flour flour and fold into cake batter. Pour in a well-greased 10 to 12-inch tube pan.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for 1 1/2 hours or until tested done.

Makes 12 servings.