Instructions: Combine all the ingredients through apple juice in a large bowl. Cover and let fruit macerate (soak) for 4 days. Stir twice a day.

Preheat oven to 300 . Spray 3 loaf pans with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, allspice, and nutmeg.

In another bowl, combine egg replacer, extracts, and maple syrup. Stir soaked dried fruit into flour mixture to coat well. Add liquid mixture, then almonds if desired. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake fruitcakes 2 hours, then check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into each cakes center. If the toothpick comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and cool. If the fruitcake is still gooey, continue to bake as long as 30 minutes more. Baking time will vary depending on how much liquid the fruit has absorbed. A pan of water placed in the oven may help to keep the tops of the fruitcakes from cracking.

I modified the original recipe to delete eggs and oil. The result was delicious and very different from most fruitcakes. I wrapped them with red and green cellophane and gave them to my neighbors, who raved about them!

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