Winter Cake

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   1. Butter a plain 10-inch tube pan, line the bottom with a parchment paper cut to fit, and butter the paper. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess. Set aside.

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   2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ginger, golden and dark raisins, dates, and cherries. Pour the rum over the fruit, toss well, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside for 1 hour.

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   3. Set the oven at 275 degrees.

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   4. In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

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   5. In an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the light brown sugar in 2 additions, beating for 1 minute on medium-high speed after each addition. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for 1 minute more. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the vanilla and apricot preserves,

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   6. With the mixer set on low speed, add flour mixture in 3 additions, just until it is absorbed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often.

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   7. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. Add marinated fruit and liquid and walnuts. Mix well to combine. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top

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   8. Bake the cake for 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the cake is clean with a few stray crumbs when withdrawn. The cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.

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   9. Set the cake on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto another cooling rack, peel away the parchment paper, then invert again so the cake is right-side up. Cool completely. Lisa

No additional tips available.