Japanese fruitcake

Yield: 12 Servings MM

Ingredients:

1 c Butter
2 c Sugar
4 Eggs
3 c Flour; all-purpose sifted
2 ts Baking powder
1 c Milk
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 ts Ground cloves
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/2 c Raisins
1/2 c Pecans; chopped Pecan halves for garnish MMMMM----------------------FILLING/FROSTING---------------------------
2 1/2 c Sugar
3 tb Flour; all-purpose
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Water; boiling
1 1/2 tb Lemon zest; grated
1/4 c Lemon juice; fresh
4 1/2 c Coconut; grated

Instructions:

For cake: Grease and flour four 9- inch round cake pans. Cream butter; gradually add sugar beating well at medium speed with an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time; beat well after each addition. Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk beginning and ending with fbur mixture. Mix after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Divide batter in half; stir spices raisins and pecans into one half. Pour plain batter into 2 of the cake pans and spiced baUer into the other 2 pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until cake tests done . Cool in pan for 20 minutes; remove from paos and cool completely on wire racks. Prick layers at 2-inch intervals with a wooden pick. Spread frosting/filling between layers and on top and sides of cake stacking layers with a light layer on top of each spice layer. Garnish with pecan halves if desired. For filling/frosting: Combine sugar and flour in medium saucepan; stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Cook for 5 minutes or until thickened stirring constantly; cool mixture completely before filling and spreading on cake. Nutritional analysis por serving: 741 calories 32 grams fat 112 grams carbohydrates 115 milligrams cholesterol 406 milligrams sodium 38 percent of calories from fat . ** Fort Worth Star Telegram -- Food section -- 29 November 1995 **