Grace Struck’S Applesauce Fruitcake (Nora Carey) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 cups applesauce
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed llight brown sugar
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1/4 cup honey
4 cups all-purpose flour, non-blanched
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb raisins
1 lb dried pears, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups pitted dates, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup walnut halves
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted and skinned hazelnuts
1 cup brandy
cheesecloth and heavy duty aluminum paper

Preparation

Heat applesauce over moderate heat. Add butter, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring to melt. Bring it to just a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add sugar, molasses and honey, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let cool in large bowl.
Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Stir into applesauce. Fold in dried fruit, chopped nuts and 1/2 cup of brandy.
Divide batter among 4 buttered and floured 9 x 5\" pans and decorate top with walnut halves.
Bake at 275 F oven for 1 1/2 hours, until a skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean and hot to the touch. Let cakes cool in the pans. Cool completely on racks.
Wrap each cake in cheesecloth and brush the left 1/2 cup of brandy until cloth is soaked. Wrap cakes in foil and store in a cool dry place. They keep for 3 to 4 months. For added flavor brush them with additional brandy every month.