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1
Combine all fruits, preserves, vanilla and liquor in a large bowl.
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2
Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and store in a cool place overnight.
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3
Add hazelnuts, coconut and pecans to the fruits, mix well and set aside.
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4
Butter and flour four loaf pans.
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5
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
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6
Make batter in two batches for greater ease of working.
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7
In a large bowl, cream 1 cup of butter until it is light and fluffy.
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8
Beat in 1 cup of brown sugar, a little at a time.
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9
Beating continuously, add 6 eggs, one at a time.
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10
Mix flour and spices together and sift half the mixture over batter.
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11
Fold together well.
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12
Mix half the fruits and nuts into batter and turn into two loaf pans.
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13
For second batch, repeat the last three steps with remaining ingredients.
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14
Cover loaf pans with aluminum foil and place in preheated oven.
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15
Bake for 2 hours.
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16
Remove foil and bake 40 minutes longer.
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17
Remove cakes from oven, run a knife around edges of the pans and turn upside down on a cake rack.
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18
Leave to cool.
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19
When cakes are thoroughly cool, wrap well in cheesecloth and pour liquor on top, bottom and sides until cheesecloth is soaked.
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20
Wrap each cake in several layers of aluminum foil to protect them from the air.
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21
They are ready to eat in two to three weeks, although the longer they're kept the better they are.
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22
Open every few weeks and add more liquor if cheesecloth seems dry.
