Apricot Light Fruitcake

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sultana raisoms
• 2 cup dried apricots chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pound glace cherries, chopped
• 1 pound mixed dried fruit
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan combine the water, apricots, 1/4 cup sugar and raisins and simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool completely to room temperature.
2. Cream the butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
5. Fold half of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.
6. Fold in the cooled boiled apricot mixture.
7. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
8. Fold in the cherries and dried fruit.
9. Bake in a greased and floured tube pan or 3 greased and parchment lined small loaf pans at 325 degrees F for about an hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. A tube pan will probably take over an hour depending on size. My small aluminum loaf pans took about 55 minutes. The toothpick test is the most reliable way to test if the cake is baked.
11. Cool in the pan/s for a 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Store in a cake tin or other airtight container. Freezes well too.