Holiday cheddar date cake

Yield: 20 Servings

Ingredients:

3/4 c Butter; room temperature
1 1/2 c Light brown sugar; packed
4 ea Eggs; lg
1 c Cheddar; sharp shredded
3 1/2 c Unbleached flour
1/2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
1 ts Cinnamon; ground
1/4 ts Cloves; ground
16 oz Dates; pitted finely chopped
2 c Pecans; chopped
4 oz Candied cherries;halved
1jar
2 c Raisins; golden
1 c Milk
1 x --------decorations---------
4 ea Candied pineapple slices
12 ea Almonds; whole blanched

Instructions:

* You can make a decorative design on the top of the cake by quartering the candied Pineapple Slices and using the whole almonds if desired. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++ ++++ Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. and grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In a large bowl beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in the cheddar cheese. Sift the flour baking soda salt cinnamon and cloves into a medium bowl. In another medium bowl combine the dates pecans cherries and raisins. Add 2 Tbls of the flour mixture tossing lightly to coat the fruit and nuts. Alternately beat the remaining flour mixture and milk into the butter mixture until well blended. Stir in the floured fruit mixture by hand until distributed throughout the batter. Turn into the prepared pan. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven until the cakes shrinks from the side of the pan and the top springs back when lightly pressed. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack then remove from the pan. Cool completely on the wire rack. When cool store in a container with a tight lid for up to 6 weeks. To serve cut into thin slices.