Ken is the self-appointed successor to a fruitcake tradition that began with his mother-in-law, Anne Crutcher. Anne, who died in 1983, was a respected food editor and gourmet who worked at several news papers around Washington, D.C. Soon after Annes' death, Ken decided that he would honor her memory by reviving the fruitcake making tradition that she had started many years before.

For Ken, the fruitcake making season starts in early autumn when his sister-in-law, Colete Crutcher, shops the Alemany farmer's market in California for dates, figs and dried cherries. After she's rounded up everything, Colette completes her portion of this annual family ritual by shipping the fruits to Ken in Brooklyn, New York. With ingredients in hand, Ken begins an elaborate-and aromatic-process that includes soaking the chopped fruit in rum, mixing up coffee and molasses, and stirring up enough batter to produce the 20 or so fruitcakes that he'll send out this year.

Prep: 1 hour. Let stand overnight to one week.

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 cups of batter

3/4-cup each: snipped dried pears, dried peaches, dried figs, and dried cherries
2/3-cup currants
1 15-oz pkg. raisins (2-1/2 cups)
1 cup dark rum, cognac, or apple cider
3/4- cup snipped, dried dates
4 oz. chopped candied fruit peel, such as orange, grapefruit, lemon or a mixture (3/4-cup)
1/4-cup chopped candied ginger
1/4-cup each: chopped pecans, chopped almonds, and chopped walnuts
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2-tsp. each: baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground allspice and ground nutmeg
1/4-tsp. ground cloves
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
5 eggs
1/2-cup currant jelly
1/2-cup molasses
1-1/2 cups dark rum, Cognac, or apple cider
1/4-cup strong coffee
1 Tbsp. almond extract (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak dried fruit, currants, and raisins overnight (or up to one week) in 1 cup add dark rum, stirring occasionally.
   
2. Drain fruit, if necessary.
   
3. Add dates, candied fruit peel, candied ginger, pecans, almonds, and walnuts.
   
4. Mix well and set aside.
   
5. Grease and flour desired pans.
   
6. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
   
7. In an extra large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
   
8. Add brown sugar and beat until well combined.
   
9. Add eggs, jelly, molasses, the remaining 1-1/2 cups rum, coffee, and extract, if using; mix thoroughly. (Mixture may appear curdled.)
   
10. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
    
11. Add soaked fruit mixture.
    
12. Mix until thoroughly combined.
    
13. Divide batter between prepared pans, filling pans 3/4 full.
    
14. Bake in a 300 degree F oven until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes.
    
15. Remove from pans.
    
16. Wrap cakes in rum-soaked cheesecloth. Over wrap with plastic wrap.
    
17. Store in cool, dry place for 2-8 weeks to mellow flavors.
    
18. Remoisten cheesecloth about once a week, or as needed.

Each serving (one slice): 263 cal., 7 g. total fat (3 g. sat. fat, 40 m.g. chol., 148 m.g. sodium, 40 g. carb., 3 g. fiber, and 3 g. pro. Daily Values: 6% vit. A, 1 % vit. C, 4 % calcium, 8 % iron.

Chef's Note: If you want to bake 21 8-inch cakes (as Ken does), prepare seven batches and make sure you have plenty of bowls, pans and time. Vapors from baked goods with high alcohol content, such as this cake, may be combustible when baked. Use caution when opening the oven door while baking this cake.

Recipe courtesy Ken Wilkinson