1 c. Crisco
2 1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
3 1/2 c. flour
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. each allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. pear or apricot preserves, well drained
1 c. raisins
1 c. dates

Cream butter, sugar and eggs together. (Add eggs one at a time.) Mix soda, flour, allspice, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Add buttermilk and flour mixture alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla, pear preserves, pecans, dates and raisins.

Bake at 300 degrees for 1/2 hours in a Bundt pan sprayed with Pam. To keep pears, pecans, etc. from sinking to the bottom of the cake, coat them with a little flour before adding to the mixture.