Japanese Fruit Cake

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter
6 eggs (save 2 whites for icing)
4 cups cake flour (after sifting)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk or 1 cup buttermilk plus 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 (8 ounce) box seeded raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice

Light Layer Optional Ingredient
1 (8 1/4 ounce) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup

Dark Layer Optional Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped nuts or citron
2 ounces fig preserves, with syrup drained
2 ounces blackberry wine

Cream sugar and butter until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until light. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add alternately with milk to batter. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Divide mixture in half. Add optional ingredients as desired to each half of batter. Add raisins and spices to dark half of batter only. Pour into 6 layer pans that have been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Use 2 dark layers and 1 light layer for one cake and 2 light layers and 1 dark layer for the other cake. Alternate color of layers.

Filling
4 oranges
1 grated coconut
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups granulated sugar
4 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups water (use coconut milk, if it is sweet)
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
2 cups chopped pecans
2 cups candied cherries

Cut oranges and scoop out segments. Add remaining ingredients except nuts and cherries. Bring to boil and cook until thick, stirring continuously. Add nuts and cherries. This goes between all layers and on top of cakes. Frost sides of each cake with 7-minute icing.

NOTE: This is a seasonal cake. In order to make it at times other than Christmas, omit cherries from filling and instead of fresh coconut, use 1 cup canned coconut.