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Holiday Cheddar Date Cake
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 each eggs, lg
1 cup cheddar, sharp, shredded
3 1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp cloves, ground
16 oz dates, pitted,finely chopped
2 cup pecans, chopped
4 oz candied cherries, halved,1jar
2 cup raisins, golden
MILK DECORATIONS
4 each candied pineapple slices
12 each almonds, whole blanched
Preparation
* You can make a decorative design on the top of the cake by
quartering the candied Pineapple Slices and using the whole almonds,
if desired. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++ ++++ Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. and grease and
flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter
and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium, until well blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat
in the cheddar cheese. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon
and cloves into a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine the
dates, pecans, cherries and raisins. Add 2 Tbls of the flour mixture,
tossing lightly to coat the fruit and nuts. Alternately beat the
remaining flour mixture and milk into the butter mixture until well
blended. Stir in the floured fruit mixture by hand until distributed
throughout the batter. Turn into the prepared pan. Bake for 2 to 2
1/2 hours in the preheated oven until the cakes shrinks from the side
of the pan and the top springs back when lightly pressed. Cool for 15
minutes in the pan on a wire rack then remove from the pan. Cool
completely on the wire rack. When cool, store in a container with a
tight lid for up to 6 weeks. To serve, cut into thin slices.
Servings: 20
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