1 lb. dates
1 box dark raisins
2 c. walnuts
1 lb. glace fruit mix
1/4 c. sherry wine
1 c. butter
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
4 c. all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. mace
4 eggs
1/4 c. honey

1. Bowl: Chop fruit and nuts and pour honey and wine over the mix and make sure they are all coated. Cover bowl tightly and let stand in refrigerator overnight.

2. Bowl: Cream butter and sugar. Add 1 egg at a time, beating thoroughly with mixer. Pour over fruit and nut mixture and mix thoroughly by hand.

3. Bowl: Sift flour, salt, soda and spices together, then add gradually to fruit mixture stirring by hand and mix and blend thoroughly. Batter will be heavy, but make sure everything is well coated. Pour into Christmas tins that are lined on both bottom and sides with 2 layers of brown paper (bags). You must grease pans and add 1 layer of brown paper (cut to fit bottoms and sides) and grease the paper after each layer.

Cut 1 layer of waxed paper and fit over the 2 layers of brown paper. Grease waxed paper and pour batter in pans. Fill pans 3/4 full. Put a shallow pan of water on bottom rack of oven.

Bake at 300 degrees for about 2 hours. Cool cakes in same tins. Soak a clean cloth (cheese or linen) with sherry wine and cover top of cake. Put lid on and store in cool place. Check once a week and pour wine on cloth if dry. Makes 2 medium size cakes or 4 small size Christmas tins. Make cakes early November and they will be aged by Christmas.