From Susan Purdy's, Have Your Cake and Eat It Too. Comments are from her book.

servings each or 4 average loaves (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4), 16 servings each.

Advance preparation: If you have the time, the fruit benefits from macerating for 24 hours in rum or brandy; otherwise mix up the fruit before you make the cakes. Cakes can be wrapped in cloths soaked in brandy or dark rum and stored in tins for (theoretically) several months. I have only kept them soaking up to 1 month because I prefer to freeze the cakes after aging them in spirit-soaked clothes for 1 week. At holiday time, I am usually rushed, so I often forget the soaking and aging and just bake the cakes, glaze them, wrap airtight in several layers of plastic wrap and a heavy duty plastic zip-lock bag, and freeze. Then you can remove from the freezer, add a ribbon and a recipe card (and if you are feeling expensive, a new loaf pan) and give as gifts.

Special equipment: *8 small loaf pans (5 1/2 x 3 x 2 1/8 inches; 2 1/4 cup capacity) or 4 average loaf pans (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches; 5 1/4 cup capacity) *Wax paper or baking parchment *Extra large bowl *Muslin, cotton fabric, or cheesecloth (optional) *Metal or plastic boxes for storing cakes (optional)

Temperature and Time: 350F for 60-65 minutes for small loaves; 1 hour and 15-20 minutes for average loaves.

1. Twenty-four hours before baking the cakes (or as early on the baking day as possible), assemble all the fruit in a large bowl. Stir in the dark rum or brandy, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

continued in part 2