Christmas Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 1 pound (2 cups) butter
• 1 pound (2 cups) granulated sugar
• 1 pound flour (4 cups all-purpose or 4 1/2 cups cake flour)
• 2 cups white raisins
• 1 pound pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 to 1 cup candied cherries
• 1/2 to 1 cup candied pineapple
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounce bottle) lemon extract
• 6 eggs

Instructions

1. Cream butter, sugar and lemon extract.
2. Sift flour once, then measure. Sift twice more, adding baking powder and salt to last sift.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, to creamed mixture, alternating with flour, beating well after each addition. This makes a very stiff batter so will probably have to be beaten by hand.
4. Then add nuts, raisins and candied fruits which have been coated with a little of the flour.
5. Bake in a large round tube pan which has been lined with brown paper and greased.
6. Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours, or until done when tested.