Holiday Fruitcake

This is my favorite fruitcake, one that I have baked every Christmas for many years. My friend Joyce passed this recipe on to me after I raved about how good it was after I tasted it at her house.
Every year when the Christmas season approached I remember how my Mom would ask if I was baking fruitcake again and could she have some, wish I could still be baking for her.

Slices of this fruitcake are a pretty addition to any tray of goodies, not only does it look good it is filled with fruits, nuts, and coconut. What's not to like?

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups raisins..I used 1 1/2 cups raisins and 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups coconut
• 1/2 cup mixed glace fruit
• 1 cup glace cherries I used 1/2 cup green cherries and 1/2 cup glace pineapple, sometimes I use half green and the other half red, your choice of what you like
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup chopped walnuts I used 3/4 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup sliced filberts, again use whatever nuts you like
• 200 g pkg of baking gums. They look like small gumdrops and are in the baking aisle at the grocery store.

1. Mix fruits, coconut, nuts and gumdrops in a large bowl and set aside.

2. In another bowl cream butter and sugar

3. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract, and blend until smooth

4. Combine flour and baking powder and add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix        until well blended.

5. Pour over mixture of fruits, nuts, coconut, and gumdrops and stir until well combined

6. Divide between 4 small loaf pans (approx 7" x 3 1/2" x 2") double lined with waxed paper.

7. Bake in a 300º oven for 1 1/2 hours

8. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
9. Freeze in freezer bags, leaving waxed paper on the loaves.

Happy Thanksgiving to our fellow Americans!