KEN’S LIGHT FRUITCAKE

Makes: Six 2-lb cakes This recipe can be easily halved to make 3 cakes that you can share with friends and family.

For the fruit mix:

1 lb (454 g) walnuts 1 lb (454 g) dried apricots 1 lb (454 g) dried cranberries 1 lb (454 g) currants 2 lbs (907 g) raisins (use a mix of Thompson & sultana raisins)

Rum to macerate

For the cake batter:

½ lb (1 cup or 250 mL) unsalted butter ½ lb (1 cup or 250 mL) vegetable shortening 1 lb (2 ¼ cups, or 560 mL, packed) brown sugar 10 oz (14 tbsp or 210 mL) liquid honey 4 cups (1 L) whole liquid eggs (or 18 large, whisked until smooth) 1 lb 4 oz (4 ½ cups or 1 1/8 L) all-purpose flour ½ cup (125 mL) rum (for brushing the cakes once baked)

At least a month in advance macerate all the dried fruit in enough rum to moisten but not soak the fruit. Cover and store in a cool dark place.

Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C). Place a deep pan filled with hot water on the lower rack. Butter and lightly flour six 8-by-4-by-2 cake moulds.

Hand chop the walnuts and macerated apricots to about twice the size of the raisins, then combine all the macerated fruit and nuts in a large mixing bowl by hand (reserve any extra alcohol that may have accumulated under the macerated fruit).

In the bowl of a mixmaster or in a bowl using a hand mixer, cream butter and shortening together on medium speed, then add the brown sugar. Gradually add honey and blend until smooth. Gradually add the whole eggs followed by 1 cup of the flour to thicken the mixture a bit.

Pour the batter in the mixer bowl over the fruit and nut mix, then add the remaining flour. Mix by hand until smooth. Avoid overworking the mixture.

Divide the mixture evenly among the six moulds. You should get 2 pounds (1 kg) of mix per mould. Bake cakes for 2 1/2 hours until they crack open at the top. Using a pastry brush, immediately brush the top of each cake generously with rum once they are removed from the oven.

Allow to cool 1 hour before removing the cake from the mould, then wrap the cakes, either in plastic wrap or in cheesecloth soaked in another good brushing of rum.

Cakes can be stored, wrapped, for 6 weeks — ideally — or longer in cool dry environment (a cellar is ideal for this).

Notes: The longer the fruitcake is aged, the better, so consider making them now for 2018.