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Christmas Bread

INGREDIENTS (Makes 1 loaf)

5     eggs
2½ cups     all-purpose flour
2 cups     icing sugar
2 tsp     baking powder
¾ cup     walnuts or pecans, chopped fine
2/3 cup     raisins
4 oz     orange peel, chopped fine
½ tsp     salt
1 cup     butter
1 Tbsp     grated lemon peel
1 tsp     vanilla
3 Tbsp     vodka or brandy
PROCEDURE

(1)     Preheat oven to 350º F. Beat eggs with sugar using an electric mixer for 5 minutes at high speed.
(2)     Mix chopped nuts, raisins, and orange peel with 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix remaining flour with baking powder and salt.
(3)     Cream together the butter, lemon peel, and vanilla extract until fluffy. Beat in vodka, then add egg mixture gradually, beating constantly. Add the flour mixture and beat for 5 minutes. Fold fruit-nut mixture into the batter. Turn into a greased and floured 9×5×3-inch pan or a 1½ quart ring mold.
(4)     Bake at 350º F for 1 hour.
(5)     Cool cake in pan on wire rack for ten minutes, then turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.
(6)     Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to mellow for a couple of days.
RATING

Difficulty: easy. Time: ½ hour preparation, 1½ hours cooking and cooling, 2 days aging. Precision: Approximate measurement OK.