OLD-FASHIONED FRUITCAKE

1 pound candied fruit, chopped
3 cups pitted and chopped dates
3 cups raisins
2 cups chopped walnuts
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup grape juice
1 cup margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
Wine or additional grape juice (for wrapping cake)

Combine fruits and nuts with molasses and grape juice. Set aside.

Cream margarine and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time; add to fruit mixture. Set aside.

Sift flour with salt, baking soda and spices and stir into fruit and egg mixture. Stir until well mixed. Pour batter into two well-greased loaf pans or a tube pan that has been lined with greased foil.

Bake at 275 degrees F about 2 1/2 hours (about 4 1/2 hours in a tube pan) or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Check often, but do not underbake. Cool cake thoroughly.

Peel off foil from cooled tube cake before wrapping in a cheesecloth moistened with wine or grape juice.

Makes 2 loaves or 1 tube cake
From: Recipelink.com
Source: Old newspaper recipe clipping