Fruit Wedding Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 pound candied pineapple rings
1 pound each dates and figs
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
12 eggs, separated and beaten separately
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup fruit juice, wine, rum, or brandy
2 pounds seeded raisins
1 pound sultana raisins
1/4 pound each candied orange, lemon rind, and citron, (finely chopped)
1 pound candied cherries
1/2 pound almonds, blanched
1/2 pound pecans, unbroken
brandy



METHOD
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cut each ring of pineapple in 2 slices, then in half crosswise. Remove stem end from figs, cut in half lengthwise. Stone and cut dates, and mix them with 1 cup of flour. Mix the rest of the flour with baking soda and spices. Cream butter, add sugar, then the well-beaten egg yolks and stir well. Add the flour mixture alternately with the molasses and fruit juice, wine, rum, or brandy. Gently fold in the beaten whites, then the dates and gradually the raisins.
Line 4 greased loaf pans with waxed paper. Put in a layer of batter, add a layer of pineapple down the center, fill spaces and sides lightly with citron, orange, lemon rind, cherries, and nuts; another layer of batter, then a layer of figs, the rest of the fruit and nuts, and top with remaining batter. (Or cut up all fruit and mix through batter, adding beaten whites last.) Fill pans 2/3 full.
Set pans in oven, in a pan filled with 1 inch hot water. Bake 1/2 hour, cover with waxed paper, bake 2 hours longer, remove pans from water, and bake 1/2 hour more. Remove from pans. Remove paper. Wrap in cloth moistened with brandy. Store in tightly covered tin box.