Christmas Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raisins
• 2 cups craisins
• 1 1/2 cups candied cherries
• 1 cup spiced rum
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1 cup glutinous rice flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (walnuts or sliced almonds are good)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the fruit and 3/4 cup of rum.  Cover and let it stand for 24 hours.
2. In a bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.  Take 1/2 cup of the dry mixture and toss it with the fruit mixture, until all the fruit is evenly coated.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Stir in the remaining flour mixture just until incorporated.
4. Add in the fruit mixture and nuts.  Stir to combine.
5. Scrape into a greased bread pan.
6. Pre-heat oven to 300F.  Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Let it cool on a rack in the pan.
7. Once you remove from the pan, store in an air tight container in the fridge for at least 1 month before eating.  Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the remaining rum at a rate of about 1 tbsp / week.