First printed on the label of None Such® Ready-to-Use Mincemeat years ago, this festive fruitcake recipe has been a favorite for years.

Festive Fruitcake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 (27-ounce) jar NONE SUCH® Ready-to-Use Mincemeat (Regular or Brandy and Rum)
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 cups (1 pound) mixed candied fruit
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease and flour 10-inch bundt pan. Combine flour and baking soda; set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; blend in dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake 1 hour and 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Turn out of pan. Garnish as desired.

Makes 24 servings.

Variations:

• Fruitcake Bars: Grease a 15x10-inch jellyroll pan; spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 40 top 45 minutes. Cool. Glaze if desired. Makes about 4 dozen bars.
• Fruitcake-in-a-Can: Grease three 1-pound coffee cans; fill each can with about 2 2/3 cups batter. Bake 1 hour and 20 to 25 minutes. Or grease eight 10 3/4-ounce soup cans; fill each with 1 cup batter. Bake 50 to 55 minutes.
• Bundt Fruitcake: Generously grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan; turn batter into pan. Bake 1 hour and 45 to 50 minutes.
• Fruitcake Bars: Grease 15x10-inch jellyroll pan; spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Cool. Glaze if desired. Makes about 4 dozen bars.
• Chocolate Fruitcake: Prepare fruitcake batter as above, adding 3 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted. For glaze, melt 3 (1-ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate with 2 tablespoons margarine or butter. Spoon over fruitcake.
• Fruitcake Cookies: Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake 15 to 18 minutes. Makes about 5 1/2 dozen cookies

Tip: To substitute condensed mincemeat for ready-to-use mincemeat, crumble 2 (9-ounce) packages NONE SUCH® Condensed Mincemeat into small saucepan; add 1 1/2 cups water. Boil briskly 1 minute. Cool. Proceed as above.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of Eagle Family Foods Inc., a subsidiary of The J.M. Smucker Company.