1 c. cooking oil
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cloves
1 c. fruit juice
1 c. thinly sliced candied citron
1 c. chopped candied pineapple
1 1/2 c. whole candied cherries
1 c. raisins
1 c. chopped figs
3 c. chopped nuts

Combine oil, sugar and eggs; beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Sift 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Stir sifted dry ingredients into the oil mixture alternately with the fruit juice. Mix the other cup of flour with the candied fruit and nuts.

Pour batter over the fruit and mix thoroughly. Pour into lined or greased muffin tins. Place a pan of water on lowest rack of oven. Bake cupcakes on higher rack at 275 degrees for 1 hour. Let cupcake stay in muffin tins for 15 minutes; remove from tins and allow to cool thoroughly before removing papers.

HINTS: Makes 2 dozen large cupcakes. Fruit juice may be orange, apple or pineapple. Do not try to make a full-size cake from this recipe. It makes excellent small cakes. Any kind of candied fruit may be used as long as the total amount is equal to what the recipe calls for.

These are best eaten about 2 weeks after being baked. They will keep up to a month in a covered container on the counter.

When thinking about making these for the holidays, it is easiest to buy some of the ingredients every week. I usually bake them just before Thanksgiving and then have what's left for Christmas.

It is a good idea to make them in small muffin tins as they are too rich for most people to eat a while regular size cupcake.