Japanese Fruit Cake
Cake layers
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
Filling
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits packed in juice, well drained, juice reserved and enough water is added to measure 1 cup
1cup sugar
peel of two lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 package flaked coconut(about 2 2/3 cups )
For Garnish
10 drained canned mandarin orange segments
Heat oven to 350*F. Grease 2 8-inch round layer-cake pans; line bottom with wax paper; grease paper. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in sugar until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with the milk, beat after each just until blended. To Make Plain Layers, pour 1½ cups batter in to each prepared pan.(Reserve remaining batter.) Bake 25 minutes or until pick inserted in center come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto wire racks. Wipe out pans and prepare as above. ToMake spice Layers, mix rasins, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves into reserved batter. Pour half into each prepared pan. Bake and cool as for plain layers. To make filling, mix reserved pineaple juice, the sugar and lemon peel in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minute4s. Mix conrstarch and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir into sugar syrup and bring to a boil. Let boil 1 minute until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. When cool, stir in coconut and drained pineapple. Assemble at least 2 hours before serving. Starting with a spice layer and alternating layers on a cake plate, spread about 1 cup filling between layers and on top. Garnish with orange segments. Makes 16 servings. Per serving: 480 cal, 6g protein, 18 g. fat, 101 mg cholesterol w/ butter (65mg w/ margarine), 253 mg sodium.