Instructions: Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the orange juice and vanilla until well mixed. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and blend well. Fold in the candied fruits, pecans, and citrus peels. Let the batter rest for 1/2 hour. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and line a 10 inch tube pan with waxed paper. Grease and flour the waxed paper liberally. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for three hours. Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan for several hours. Once the cake is thoroughly cool, remove from the pan and peel off the waxed paper. Line an airtight tin with plenty of cheesecloth to wrap around the cake. Place the cake inside the tin and pour the brandy slowly over the cake. Wrap the cake tightly with the cheesecloth. Store for at least a week, adding more brandy if the cake becomes dry.

This is a rich, tipsy, fruit filled cake. The cake needs at least a week to mature, so make it well ahead of time. A little of this six pound cake goes a long way.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.