1 c Dried apricots; chopped
1 ts Baking soda
1/4 c Apricot brandy; plus:
1 tb Apricot brandy
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 c Shortening
1 ts Cinnamon
1 c Sugar
1/2 ts Nutmeg
1/4 ts Allspice
2 c Flour
1/4 ts Cloves
1 c Pecans; chopped
1 c Applesauce
1 Egg
Combine apricots & brandy; cover and refrigerate overnight. Cream
shortening; gradually add sugar and beating well. Add egg, and mix well.
Combine one cup flour with baking soda, spices, and salt; set aside. Add
pecans to apricot mixture; combine with reserved flour mixture. Toss well
to coat all pieces with flour; set aside. Add remaining one cup flour to
shortening/sugar mixture alternating with applesauce, (beginning and ending
with flour mixture). Stir in reserved apricot mixture. Pour into a greased
9 x 5 x 3 loafpan; bake at 350 deg. for 1 hour and 15 min. or until
toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 10
minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 1
loaf. Notes: May be frozen up to 3 months. This is more of a sweet cake
than a bread. May be wrapped in cheese- cloth and soaked with additional
brandy and stored in a tin, if desired.
