Gaynelle's Family Fruitcake

My friend Gaynelle says that this has been passed down in her family for 200 years. It's the best fruitcake I've ever had.

Ingredients
1 lb unsalted butter
1 lb browned and sifted cake flour
1 lb sugar
10 eggs
3 lbs raisins
2 lbs dates, chopped
1 lb currants
1/3 lb glazed pineapple chunks
¼ lb dried cherries
¼ lb each candied fruit - citron, lemon, and orange
½ lb pecans
½ lb sliced or slivered almonds
1 cup fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges)
1 pint bourbon
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground mace
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Parchment paper for lining loaf pans

Directions
The day before baking, brown and sift the flour, soak the almonds in orange juice, chop, flour and sift the dried fruits and fruit peels. Cut parchment paper for lining.

Cream butter and sugar until very light. Beat egg yolks to a pale lemon color and add to the mixture. Alternately fold in flour and stiffly beaten egg whites. Sift in spices. There are no rising agents in the recipe so be sure to use plenty of "elbow grease" in the mixing. Begin adding dried fruit and pecans. As the mixture becomes stiff, add almonds and orange juice, and later the bourbon.

Line loaf pans with parchment paper on all sides and fill with batter, spreading batter evenly in the pans. The recipe makes 6-8 loaves depending on the size of the pans used (more if making mini-loaves). Bake in a very slow oven (225-250 degrees) to which a small pan of water has been added. After 1/2 hour turn the loaves. Total baking time is between 4 and a half and 6 hours depending on the number of loaves and the type of oven. Cakes are done when the tops are springy and a straw inserted in the center comes out clean. After they cool, wrap and refrigerate. The cakes age very well and are best consumed 1-2 months after they are baked.