Tropical Fruitcake

Tropical Fruitcake

½ c butter, softened

1 cup sugar (I used half white and half brown)

4 eggs

1 tsp coconut extract

2 ½ c flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ c unsweetened pineapple juice

2 ¼ c flaked coconut

1 can chunk pineapple, candied*

1 jar maraschino cherries, candied

1 jar macadamia nuts, chopped

1 c chopped dates

glaze (I did NOT use, but here it is anyway)

1 cup pwdrd sugar

2 Tbsp coconut milk

¼ tsp coconut extract

¼ tsp vanilla

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, on at a time, beating well after each one.  Beat in extract.  Combine dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture alternately with pineapple juice, beating well after each addition.  Fold in all the nuts and fruits.

Transfer to greased and floured tube pan.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 min or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minute then remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.  Drizzle with glaze if desired (it did NOT need it).

*candied fruit

pineapple:  drain juice from pineapple, save for cake.  Place pineapple in a small saucepan and add 1/2 – 2/3 c sugar.  simmer until the juice is absorbed and the fruit darkens in color.  let cool

cherries:  same as above (I used ½ c sugar, and I cut the cherries in half.  I also added back a little of the juice because it seemed dry).  they did not darken at all, but the juice did seem to absorb.