"Cheri" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dave Smith" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I went out this morning and got all the special ingredients for my light
>>fruit cakes. The first batch is in. I will work on the second batch this
>>evening.
>
> This is the best light fruit cake I've ever eaten, no citron.
>
> 2 pounds butter at room temperature
> 4 cups sugar
> 12 eggs separated (save whites for later in recipe)
> 2 oz pure lemon extract
> 8 cups flour
> 2 pounds golden raisins
> 1 pound candied cherries (a combination of green and red looks pretty)
> 1 pound candied pineapple
> 2 lbs of walnuts or combination of nuts of choice
>
> In large bowl cream butter and sugar until light, add beaten egg yolks a
> little at a time.
>
> Add flour one cup at a time until blended, then add lemon extract. Rough
> chop fruit and nuts, lightly dust them with flour, and stir into mixture.
> Don't use a mixer for this step or your mixture will turn color from the
> cherries.
>
> Beat egg whites until medium soft peak stage and carefully fold into
> mixture.
>
> Line loaf pans with double sheets of cut up brown grocery bag paper and
> grease paper, this keeps the loaves from developing a crust and keeps them
> light.
>
> Bake at 275 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on loaf size, or until a
> toothpick comes out fairly clean when inserted in the middle.
>
> Makes 6 loaves and recipe can easily be halved for smaller amount.

I love citron! Curse you, diabetes! I still have the candied orange and
lemon peel that I bought last year. It is technically expired but I ate a
piece a few weeks ago. It's perhaps a big tougher than it was before but
still tastes good. I only ever eat a tiny piece every once in a while which
is why I still have it. Takes sheer willpower not to just plow through it
with a fork.