Japanese Fruitcake With Filling

Servings: 8
Ingredients:

1 c  Butter,at room temperature
2 c  Sugar
4    Eggs
3 c  Flour
1/2 ts Salt
3 ts Baking powder
1 c  Milk
1 tb Orange rind,grated
1 ts Vanilla
1 ts Allspice
1 ts Ginger
1/2 c  Raisins
1/2 c  Pecans,chopped
1 tb Flour
1 1/2 c  Coconut,grated
Candied cherries (opt)

2 tb Flour
1 Juice of 3 lemons
1 c Sugar
1 cn Pineapple (20 oz)*
2 Egg yolks
1/2 c Pecans chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350′F.
2. Grease and flour 3 9-inch layer cake pans. Cream butter and sugar with
electric mixer until soft and fluffy. Beat eggs until light and add to
butter-sugar mixture.
3. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together and add alternately to
batter with milk. Stir in vanilla and orange rind; beat well. Spread 2/3 of
the batter into 2 of the 3 prepared pans.
4. Add allspice and ginger to remaining batter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour
over the raisins and nuts to coat, then add to batter and mix well. Spread
spiced batter into remaining third pan.
5. Bake layers at 350′F. for 30 minutes, or until cake tests down and sides
shrink from pan. Invert on wire rack and allow to cool.
6. When completely cool, spread fruit filling between layers and thinly
over the top and side of cake, using a flat-bladed knife to spread evenly.
(Place the fruit/spice layer in the middle when stacking layers.) Cover top
and side of cake with the coconut. Decorate with red and green candied
cherries in a wreath design if desired.

*** FRUIT FILLING ***
* - pineapple should be crushed and drained.
Combine all ingredients in top half of a double boiler over, not in,
simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. It
should be quite thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool, stirring
occasionally.