Nell's Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe with Nut-Date Filling

In a previous post, Grandma's 4-layer fruit cake was shared.  This time we will share a Christmas cake recipe from one of her friends.  This recipe was in one of Grandma's handwritten recipes  from the 70's and had a note about her friend's experience "She's been making this for 30 years."  This was likely her family tradition, as my decorated Christmas Cookies and my friends various flavored Fudges were ours. My Grandma loved switching-up holiday dessert recipes so if you wanted something in particular, you needed to let he know in advance.  Her traditional foods I remember were the rolls she made on winter holidays and her biscuits for spring holidays. 

Unfortunately, Nell's recipe does not state how many layers for this moist fruity cake.  Judging from the ingredients, I would guess 3 thick 9" layers (pan sizes to use by cups of batter) or 4 thin 8" layers similar to Grandma's cake. Both fruity recipes are for delicious cakes rather than elegant ones.  For some fancy Christmas cake recipes, check out 20 Stunning Christmas Layer Cakes on Food Storage Moms blog.  

Nell's Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup sweet milk (AKA: regular whole milk) 
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mashed potatoes (already cooked, drained, and mashed)
1 cup jam (your choice of flavor or whichever you have on hand)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped dates
2 cups chopped nuts
2 small delicious apples, (peeled, cored, and chopped fine)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Cream together butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs one at a time - beating well.
4. In another bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
5. Add dry mix alternately with milks, blending well.
6. Blend in mashed potatoes.
7. Stir in jam, all fruits, and nuts.
8. Pour into greased and floured layer pans.
9. Bake at 300 degrees until they test done.  (Time depends on pan size, start about 30-40 minutes, if toothpick inserted in middle does not comes out clean, add 5-10 minutes)
10. Spread filling over layers and assemble cake.  If desired, decorate top with candied cherries.

Filling (& Topping)

Ingredients:

4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
Butter (size of an egg)
1 cup chopped dates
2 cups chopped nuts
Optional: 1/2 cup coconut flakes 

Steps:

1. In double boiler, cook sugar and milk to a medium boil.
2. Add butter and stir to melt.
3. Cool.  Then add dates and nuts (and coconut if desired).