Step 1

Preheat oven to 250° degrees (that is not a typo-TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY degrees)

Step 2

Place a pan 1/3 filled with boiling water in the oven to create steam. Put it on the rack under the rack where the fruitcake pans will got.

Step 3

Fill the pan with hot water as needed during baking.

Step 4

Spray two 9-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line with wax paper or parchment paper.

Step 5

Spray wax paper with cooking spray.

Step 6

Chop dates and nuts.

Step 7

Add them to a large bowl.

Step 8

Sift dry ingredients over fruit and nuts and mix in with your hands.

Step 9

Beat eggs until light, add vanilla and pour over fruit, mixing well. (you will probably need to mix with your hands - it's messy.)

Step 10

Spoon fruit cake batter into prepared pans, pressing down gently to remove large air bubbles and spaces.

Step 11

Place the filled loaf pans onto the rack above the pan with hot water.

Step 12

Bake at 250 for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Step 13

Let cool.