Kresge's Light Fruit Cake

• 150g butter (2/3 cup)
• 125g granulated sugar (2/3 cup)
• 2 large free-range eggs beaten
• 240ml fruit juice or water (I used fresh orange juice)
• 60ml liquid honey (1/4 cup)
• 280g flour, sifted (2 cups)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 910g extra fancy mixed glace fruit (2 pounds) (I used a mix of glace cherries, glace citrus peels, glace pineapple and dried apricots)
• 150g raisins (1 cup)
• 60g whole pecans (1/2 cup)
• 140g additional flour (1 cup)

1. Preheat the oven to 135*C/275*F.  Butter two 3 1/2 ” by 7 1/2″ loaf tins and line with waxed or baking paper, leaving 1/2 inch of paper to extend beyond the edges of the tins all round.  Set aside.
2. Rinse and dry your glace cherries. Place into a bowl.  Chop the citrus peels into small bits.  I used  combination of grapefruit, pomelo, orange and lemon peels. Cut the glace pineapple into chunks.  Chop the dried apricots. Put the citrus, apricots and pineapple into the bowl with the cherries.  Add the pecans and raisins. Mix together and then stir in the flour to coat it all well.
3. Beat the butter and sugar together well.  Beat in the eggs and then stir in the fruit juice and honey. It will look well curdled, but don’t worry about it.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir into the creamed mixture to combine well and then fold in the floured fruit/nut mixture.  Spoon the batter into the two prepared loaf tins, dividing it equally.  Do not smooth down or press into place.
4. Place a cake tin filled with 480ml/2 cups water on the bottom rack of the oven.  Place the loaf tins onto a baking sheet and place into the oven on the rack above the water. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours,  or until the cakes are firm on top and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean with no batter clinging.  Store in an airtight container.

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