3/4 c Butter; room temperature
1 1/2 c Light brown sugar; packed
4 lg Eggs
1 c Sharp cheddar; shredded
3 1/2 c Unbleached flour
1/2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/4 ts Ground cloves
16 oz Dates; pitted, finely chopped
2 c Pecans; chopped
4 oz Jar candied cherries; halved
2 c Golden raisins
1 c Milk
--------------------------------DECORATIONS--------------------------------
4 Candied pineapple slices
12 ea Whole almonds; blanched
* You can make a decorative design on the top of the cake by quartering
the candied pineapple slices and using the whole almonds, if desired.
Preheat the oven to 300°F and grease and flour a 10" tube pan; set
aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric
mixer on medium, until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Beat in the cheddar cheese.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves into a
medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine the dates, pecans,
cherries, and raisins. Add 2 tb of the flour mixture, tossing
lightly to coat the fruit and nuts.
Alternately beat the remaining flour mixture and milk into the
butter mixture until well blended. Stir in the floured fruit
mixture by hand until distributed throughout the batter. Turn into
the prepared pan. Bake for 2 to 2-1/2 hours in the preheated oven
until the cakes shrinks from the side of the pan and the top
springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack then remove from the
pan. Cool completely on the wire rack. When cool, store in a
container with a tight lid for up to 6 weeks.
