Instructions: * Note: You can also try a coffee liqueur such as Kahlua in place of brandy for the soaking liquid. Serve after cooling or wrap in a soaked cheesecloth and store.

Four hours or up to 1 day before baking, place raisins, sour and maraschino cherries and cranberries in a large bowl. Toss with hot brandy, cover and set aside.

Blend melted butter with eggs. Add sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add raspberry extract, vanilla and jam to fruit mixture, then stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Fold fruit mixture into batter. Blend well.

Spray 2 (9- by 5-inch) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spoon batter into pans. Place pans on baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees until dark brown, cakes spring back when lightly touched and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Cool in pans 15 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely. Slice or soak.

Soaking Instructions: Let cakes cool completely, then poke holes all over cake surfaces with a cake tester or long skewer. Soak large cheesecloths in soaking liquid and wrap them around cakes, covering completely. Wrap cakes in plastic and then clean tea towels, and place them in cake tins. You can also place loaves in resealable plastic bags and seal them part way. Refresh alcohol once a week or whenever you notice cheesecloth is dried out.

This recipe yields 24 servings.

NOTES :

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