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1
Reserve some of the candied fruit and a few pecan halves to decorate the tops of the fruitcakes.
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2
Mix flour and spices thoroughly, then mix the flour mixture w ith the fruit so that each piece of fruit and each nut is coated lightly with flour.
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3
Cream butter (or margarine); add sugar gradually.
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4
Add eggs, mixing thoroughly.
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5
Stir in flour and salt until well blended.
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6
Pour batter over fruit-nut mixture.
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7
Mix with hands until fruit and nuts are well coated with batter.
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8
Spread mixture in a greased roasting pan (17 x 11 1/2 x 2 1/4 inches).
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9
Bake in preheated moderated oven (350?F) for 30 minutes.
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10
Reduce heat to slow (325?F) an d continue baking for 1 hour.
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11
Watch the heat carefully; do NOT overbake.
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12
After 45 minutes of second baking, remove roaster from oven and quickly stir mixtur e, breaking up the top crust, scraping sides and bottom of pan.
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13
Continue baking 15 minutes.
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14
When done, the batter will lose its gloss and be brown and crumbly.
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15
In the meantime, grease pans you wish to use: Loaf pans, muffin pans, cof fee cans, decorated tins, etc.
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16
Spoon cake, while hot, into one pan at a time, making a layer about 3/4 inch thick, pressing firmly, adding another layer, pr essing, and so on until pan is full.
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17
If the batter gets too cold to mold proper ly, put the roaster pan back in the oven to heat for a few minutes, but watch it carefully to avoid overcooking.
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18
Decorate while hot with crystallized fruit and nuts.
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19
If packed carefully, this cake may be sliced very thin.
