Fruitcake

ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  3/4 teaspoon baking soda & 3/4 cup molasses
  3/4 teaspoon baking soda & 1 1/2 cups sour milk/buttermilk/yogurt
  3/4 teaspoon baking soda & 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cups chopped pitted dates
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  1 1/3 cups whipped butter
  1 cup hydrogenated fat
  1 cup margarine
  3/4 cup olive oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour 10 inch-diameter angel food or tube pan. Combine first 3 ingredients in large bowl. Add dates, pecans, walnuts and all raisins and toss to coat. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in another large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add extracts. Add dry ingredients, fold until just combined (batter will resemble cookie dough). Spoon batter into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake until cake is golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edges of cake to loosen. Turn out cake onto rack, cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic.)