apples and fruitcake

This is the 3rd Christmas I have made fruitcake.  -  This is the first time I made one  from King Arthur flour website .  It's  called  - "our favorite fruitcake  recipe"  in case you want to look it up .    I tweaked it some. The flavoring I mixed in the fruit mix some natural lemon flavor and vanilla.  Since that ingredient says that it like vanilla with a fruitty essence.  
My fruit mixture had a variety of dried fruit,   dates and lots of walnuts, pecans, and slivered almonds.   Orange juice was  poured  over the fruit and nut mix to set in fridge over night.
Apple  cider I purchased from Paughs orchard a week and a half ago to pour on cake to ripen.
Steve really likes it and it probably won't last long.  I love nutmeg and used over a  tablespoon in the mix.   
Turned out really well,  Hope there will be some left for Christmas.

As you can see - I ddin't get to fancy with the placement of the fruit and nuts on top

but is still colorful

I baked my fruitcake in a greased glass baking dish , slice the cake into six log shapes

ripening

 The house smells so good when I fix apple sauce

my fingers hurt from the peeling,  but it's worth it

I  love apple pie  - I made a few jars to have on hand

I hope to post soon on my Christmas site soon

It's getting close

Betsy