Dried Fruit & Nut Cake

Dense and flavorful, this cake is awesome with or without a glass of port.

¾ cup (3.4 ounces) all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup (5.25 ounces) light or dark brown sugar, or raw sugar

2 cups quartered moist dates, or more of any of the other dried fruits

3 cups (12 ounces) walnut halves, or other nuts

1 cup dried apricot halves, plums, pluots, pear or peaches, or a mixture (to measure, leave apricot halves or similar sized fruit whole; cut larger fruit in halves or thirds)

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Equipment:

A 9 x 5 (8-cup) loaf pan or two 8 x 4 (3-1/2 to 4 cup) loaf pans lined on the bottom and sides with parchment paper or sprayed with vegetable oil spray.

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 300 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whish flour with baking soda, baking powder and salt to combine. Add brown sugar and all the dried fruit and nut pieces. Mix thoroughly with your fingers. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs with vanilla until light. Pour the egg mixture over dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands until all fruit and nut pieces are coated with batter. Scrape into prepared pan(s).

Bake until the top is deep golden brown and batter clinging to fruit seems set, about 1 hour and 10-15 minutes for smaller loaves and 10 or 15 minutes longer for a large loaf. Tent loosely with foil if loaves appear to be browning too early on top.

Cool on a rack. When completely cool, remove the cake from the pans and wrap airtight in foil or plastic wrap. Cake keeps, wrapped airtight, for several weeks at room temperature or at least three months in the refrigerator. To serve, cut thin slices with a heavy sharp knife.

(from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich, published by Artisan Books, 2007)

Yield: Makes one large loaf or two small ones.