3 c. unsifted all purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3 lg. eggs
1 1/2 c. light brown sugar
3/4 c. butter, softened
3 c. warm applesauce
2 c. chopped dates
1 1/2 c. toasted hazel nuts, skinned
1 c. candied cherries
1/2 c. apple brandy

Several days or up to a week before serving, make cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour two 9 inch oval cake pans. In bowl of electric mixer, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs, sugar, butter, and 1 1/2 cups applesauce; beat 1 minute. Fold in fruits and nuts; pour into pans. Bake 55 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 15 minutes; invert onto rack. Cool completely. Brush with brandy. Wrap well and refrigerate. Frost with White Chocolate Frosting and decorate with Roses and Ribbons.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

6 oz. white chocolate, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. confectioners sugar
Lg. silver dragees
Roses and Ribbons

Beat white chocolate, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy; beat in sugar. Place bowl in ice water; beat frosting until firm. On platter place one cake layer; cover top with some frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Cover cake with frosting, decorate with remaining frosting, the Roses and Ribbons and dragees.

ROSES AND RIBBONS:

18 oz. white chocolate, melted
1/2 c. light corn syrup
Green and red paste food colors
Apple green, frosty holly, and gold powdered food color
White rum

In bowl, mix white chocolate with syrup. Remove 2/4 mixture; with paste color, tin remaining third green. Wrap mixtures in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.

To make ribbons: Between sheets of foil, roll out green mixture to 12 x 8 inch. Chill until firm; cut into 8 x 12 x 1 inch ribbons. Cut five strips in half and shape into loops. In cup, mix apple green and frosty holly food colors; with a little rum, thin to painting consistency. Brush onto one side of ribbons and both sides of loops. Refrigerate until dry.

To make roses, shape untinted white chocolate mixture into 1/2 inch balls. Chill until firm; keep chilled until ready to roll. On baking sheet, working with 20 balls at a time, cover with plastic wrap; flatten into 1 1/2 inch rounds. For each rose, roll one round into cone shape to form center of rose; shape each of 6 more rounds for petals around center cone. (Make some smaller roses using five rounds.) Blend red food color with rum; repeat with gold color. Brush each onto roses. Refrigerate until dry.