This recipe won me a first prize ribbon at the New York State Fair. My secret was to make it a year ahead of time and brush brandy on the fruitcakes each week!

Old Time Fruitcake

1 1/2 cups prunes

1 cup dried apricots

2 cups seedless raisins

1 1/2 cups seeded raisins

1 1/2 cups currants

1 1/2 cups sliced dates

2 1/2 cups diced preserved citron

1 1/2 cups diced preserved pineapple

1 1/2 cups halved candied cherries

1 cup diced preserved orange peel

1 cup diced preserved lemon peel

1 cup brandy

1 1/2 cups blanched almonds

1 cup pecan halves

3 cups sifted flour

2 tsp. allspice

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. mace

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp.powdered cloves

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

6 eggs, unbeaten

1/2 cup molasses

2/3 cup strawberry jam

Soak fruit in brandy overnight. Preheat oven to 275*, placing a pan of water in bottom of oven. Grease pans: place a piece of greased brown paper in the bottom of each pan. Line pans completely with waxed paper and grease again. Rinse prunes and apricots; cover with water. Boil 5 minutes. Drain; cool. Cut prunes from pits into pieces. Slice apricots. Rinse raisins and currants; drain. Add to prunes and apricots. Add next 6 ingredients. Sliver almonds, chop pecans coarsely. Add both to fruits. Sprinkle one cup flour over all; mix well. Sift remaining flour and next 8 ingredients together. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, until very creamy. At low speed beat in flour mixture alternately with molasses and jam. Pour over fruit mixture; mix well with spoon. Pack lightly into pans. Bake until done, about 3 hours. Cool completely in pans on wire racks. Remove from pans, peel off paper. Brush on additional brandy. Yield: 14 pounds.