Fruitcake Recipe

Okay, here we go! First, scrounge around your cupboards and find that bottle of brandy that your very favorite uncle gave you. Got it? Good! Pour yourself a drink.
Now ... get down on your hands and knees and grope around in that cupboard you only look into once a year and get those nice decorative mixing bowls you bought years ago because you simply had to have them. It's Christmas, so, get to it! You'll need a large one and a medium one. While you're still on your knees grab that funnel pan you thought you loaned to Aunt Mary in 1972.Wasn't that easy?
You might want to wash the bowls really, really well before using. Sterilize the funnel pan while you're at it. God knows what's been lurking in those dark recesses.
On to the fun part. Arrange the following on your countertop - flour tin, 2 eggs, a container of mixed candied fruit, a jar of mincemeat (brandy flavored is nice), a can of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated), a packet of walnuts, a packet of almonds, a container of glazed cherries (red and green --- we must be colorful, ya know!) Oh, and don't forget the baking soda.
Oops, you don't have almonds and glazed cherries. Not to worry! A mad dash to the supermarket is in order....
Wonderful, you're back! Have another drink of that brandy. Now we're ready.
In the large bowl, blend the liquid aka wet aka moist ingredients. That would be the two eggs, the jar of mincemeat and the can of sweetened condensed milk. That's easy!
Now, in the medium bowl, blend 2 1/2 cups of flour, 2 cups of candied fruit, 1 cup of walnuts and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Blend to separate the fruit and nuts. Okay, take that bowl with the dry ingredients and stir it into the wet ingredients, and blend really, really well. Grease that funnel pan you were suppose to wash, and pour the lovely batter into the pan, spreading evenly. Top with the almonds (you can use whole) and glazed cherries. Get creative and make little flower designs. Press the almonds and cherries into the batter a bit.
Place the pan on the 2nd from bottom rack in a 350 degree pre-heated oven. On the bottom rack, put a pan of water.
Bake the cake for 1 hour and 55 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Let the cake rest for a few minutes before turning out on a cooling rack. When completely cool, wrap in brandy soaked cheesecloth. You do still have some brandy left, right? I use about 1/2 cup, poured over the cake.
This fruitcake freezes well, and stores well in the refrigerator wrapped in foil.
You're having fun, right?
Now, repeat the steps to make cakes for that favorite brandy guzzling uncle and Aunt Mary. You couldn't have done it without them.
Enjoy!