Tropical White Christmas Cake Recipe from: Val Vera, Vernon

2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped dried papayas
1 1/2 cups dried chopped mangoes
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped candied pineapple
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup red glazed cherries, halved
1/2 cup coconut rum or plain rum

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups slivered almonds

Combine coconut, fruits, and rum in a large bowl and let stand for one day, stirring occasionally.

Line two 8″ x 4″ loaf pans with parchment paper, set aside. Preheat oven to 250F. Set a shallow pan half full of water on the bottom rack of the oven.

Sprinkle the fruit mixture with 1/2 cup of the flour. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat butter with sugar until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Stir in flour just until incorporated, then add fruit mixture and almonds. Scrape into pans and bake in center of oven, shielding with foil if the top begins to crack until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours. Cool in pans on wire rack. Remove from pans and remove parchment.

Brush with heated mixture of 2 tablespoons each, corn syrup and rum.

• Raisins – Thompson, Select
• Raisins – Thompson – ORGANIC
• Raisins – Golden, Jumbo
• Pineapple Rings – Sweetened
• Papaya Spears – Sweetened, No Sulphur
• Mangoes – Sliced – ORGANIC
• Coconut – Medium Shred – ORGANIC
• Almonds – Blanched, Slivered