In England, growing up these were made mid summer and kept in waxed paper in a tin and had brandy or rum poured over every month, then iced with marzipan 1 month before Christmas and iced with Royal Icing (egg whites and powdered sugar) 2 weeks before Christmas.
If you always loved traditional Christmas/Celebration cake this is a great recipe, admittedly it does have some ingredients that are totally American (pecans, coconut & orange juice) but is IS a good cake.
Bake them now and wrap well in waxed paper and foil and keep in a cool dark place ( not the fridge as it dries out) and pour brandy or rum over it every 3 weeks and it will be smashing for the end of the year).
RECIPE: everything at room temp.
PREHEAT OVEN 250F
4 pounds candied/dried fruit, any mix of:
lemon and orange peel, citron, angelica, cherries, pineapple, apricots, prunes, apple slices, pears, peaches (large pieces cut with scissors into smaller pieces)
1 pound pitted dates, also cut with scissors
1 pound raisins
1/2 pound shredded, sweetened coconut
1 pound pecan halves (or walnuts)
1 pound all purpose flour (if using wholewheat, add 2 extra eggs)
2tsp ground cloves
3tsp ground allspice
2 tsp grated nutmeg or mace
3tsp baking powder
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound dark brown sugar
10 large eggs
1 cup orange juice or prune juice (gives a darker cake)
METHOD:
Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl, set aside
Mix 1/4 cup flour mix into the fruit and nuts and set aside in another bowl (this prevents them sinking to the bottom of the cake, as it bakes)
Cream the butter and sugar in another large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, it might curdle/crack not to worry the flour will solve this.
Gently beat int he dry ingredients alternately with the fruit juice.
Add the floured fruit and nuts and mix well to combine, with a wooden spoon, this will be too heavy to use a mixer.
Pour into well greased cake pans, all the same size for even baking, filling 4/5th's full (this is a dense cake and does not rise much).
Bake 2- 2 1/2 HOURS or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Might have to wrap the part baked cakes in foil to prevent burning the tops.
Remove from oven and cool in pans, un-mold and allow to completely cool before wrapping in waxed paper and tightly in several layers of foil.
3 weeks later, using a skewer, poke holes half way through the base or top of the cake and pour in 1/2 cup hard liquor, allow to soak and then re wrap, do the same 3 weeks later.
Can be served as is or cover with marzipan.
Heat apricot jam or marmalade, and brush the cake top and sides (if doing the sides), with the warmed jam.
Using powdered sugar, roll out the marzipan to 1/4 inch thick, (on parchment paper, so turning over is easier), and place the jam side down cake over the marzipan, and cover, pat sides of cake to make it smooth.
Turn cake back upright and allow this to dry out/cure for 1 week uncovered.
Then re-wrap in wax paper and foil until time to frost
These days, some cooks use fondant icing instead of Royal Icing and this is rolled out using powdered sugar like the marzipan.
I used to make over 12 x 2 pound cakes every Summer for December festivities in UK.
In Spain I actually began making my own dried & candied fruit, right off our citrus trees.
Now I make candied peel all year round in Southern California.
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