Millionaire's Fruitcake

1 pk (10oz) dried figs; chopped - (1 cup)

1 pk (6oz) dried apricot halves; - chopped (1 cup)

1/2 pk (10oz) pitted dates (1 cup)

2 c Pecans

1 c Red candied cherries (8oz)

1/2 c Candied pineapple wedges - (4 oz)

1/2 c Diced candied lemon peel - (4 oz)

1 c Sugar

1 c Shortening

2 c All-purpose flour

2 ts Baking powder

1 ts Salt

1 ts Vanilla extract

5 lg Eggs

1/4 c Apricot preserves; garnish Dried fruit, green and red - candied cherries, and - pecans for garnish Day ahead or up to

1 month ahead: Grease 10-inch tube pan; line bottom of pan with foil; grease foil. In large bowl, combine first

9 ingredients. In another large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and shortening just until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, and eggs. Beat at low speed until mixture is just blended, constantly scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Stir batter into fruit mixture. Preheat oven to

1 1/2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan and carefully peel off foil. Wrap fruitcake tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate fruitcake overnight so cake will be firm and easy to slice. To serve, if you like, in small saucepan over medium heat, heat apricot preserve until just melted, stirring occasionally. Brush cake with half of apricot preserves. Garnish top of cake with dried fruit, candied cherries, and pecans. Brush fruit and pecans with remaining apricot preserves. Makes one

4 3/4 pounds fruit cake or 36 servings. Each serving without garnish: About 265 calories,

10 g fat,

30 mg cholesterol,

90 mg sodium. Source: Good Housekeeping Institute Recipes, December

1994. --