I am not a fruit cake eater but it is something that my husband and brother enjoy so after many years of no fruitcake, I decided to make it again this year. This is my grandmother’s recipe and has a cake-like texture. Feel free to make substitutions in fruits and amounts. Mamma Franklin never had all of the items in the recipe – there was always lots of improvising. My mother usually added one cup of pear preserves to the cake, also. I added 1/2 cup of peach jam as that is what I had on hand.

Mamma Franklin’s Fruit Cake

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 cup molasses

5 cups flour

1 teaspoon all-spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup strong coffee

3 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup seedless raisins

1/2 cup currants

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup chopped figs (sometimes we had figs but usually not)

1/2 cup chopped citron (we never had this)

1 cup chopped nuts

Grease two loaf pans (or one tube pan) and line sides and bottom of pan with parchment paper.

Cream butter and gradually cream in the sugar; add the well beaten egg yolks and molasses, thoroughly mixing.

Whip the egg whites and set aside. Sift and measure 3 cups flour, add spices, baking powder, soda, salt to the flour and sift. Into the first mixture, stir in portions of the flour and liquid coffee alternately until all are well mixed. Add vanilla and fold in well beaten egg whites. Now sift and measure the other 2 cups flour and mix it with the chopped nuts and fruit. Add this to the cake mixture and stir until mixed.

Pour into loaf pans. Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 2 1/2 hours.