Chocolate Walnut Fruitcake

This is a very old recipe that I got from my mother~in~law.

She has been making it for years.

While not a big fan of fruitcake, I do enjoy a slice of this one

at this time of year.

Do you like fruitcake?

Mine ~ fresh from the oven

waiting to be sliced tomorrow

at our ladies Christmas Party!

I should have baked it last week

but didn't read thru the recipe.

I'll know next time!

Chocolate Walnut Fruitcake

2 1/4 C. flour

1 1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped walnuts

2 C. diced mixed candied fruit

1 C. raisins

1 C thinly sliced pitted dates

2 eggs

1 C. sour cream

1 t. vanilla

1/4 C. melted butter

Generously grease a 9-inch tube pan

On waxed paper, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together the walnuts, candied fruit, raisins and dates.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Add butter, then flour mixture and blend well. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute or vigorously by hand until well blended. Add walnut/fruit mixture and fold in until well distributed. Turn into prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated 300* oven with a shallow pan of hot water on the floor of the oven until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean ~ about 1 3/4 hours.

Cool inn pan, placed on a wire rack for 10 minutes. With a small spatula, loosen edges and around tube.

Turn out on a wire rack and cool completely.

If cake is to be served shortly after baking, it will nave to be cut in thick slices and it will not have the traditional fruitcake texture. To have the cake change so the texture is beautifully moist and it may be cut in thin slices, wrap in transparent plastic wrap then place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for a week or so before using; may be stored this way for weeks and even months.

Before serving, slice cake when it is taken from the refrigerator, and arrange on serving plate, then let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before offering.

Makes a 3 pound fruitcake.

(NOTE: For the mixed candied fruit, we used candied cherries and pineapple and found this a delightful combination!)
~

My mother-in-law bakes hers a couple months before giving.

While it is 'ripening' in the refrigerator,

she lays a wine soaked cloth on the top and refreshes it weekly.