Old fashioned Fruitcake

1 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cups sugar

6 eggs

2 teaspoons brandy flavoring

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds ready mix candied fruit

1 pound seedless raisins

3/4 pound candied pineapple

3/4 pound whole candied cherries

2 cups pecan halves

Garnish: light corn syrup and pecan halves

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In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until fluffy, adding eggs one at a time until yolk dissapears. Stir in flavoring.

Sift together next 4 ingredients and mix thoroughly with butter and egg mixture. Work the fruit and nuts into batter with hands. Grease and flour a 19″ tube pan.

Fill pan 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 275° for 3 hours. One-half hour before cake is done, brush top with corn syrup. Decorate with pecan halves and finish baking. Cool. If desired, place cake, wrapped in a wine-soaked cloth, in an airtight container. Store in a cool place for several weeks; this blends and mellows the cake.