Fruit Cocktail Cake

1 quart canned or bottled fruit, with juice (4 cups)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
4 cups flour (lightly spooned into measure cup)
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup raisins or nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 9×13 cake pan with non-stick spray, set aside.

Chop, partially blend, or mash fruit with a potato masher. Stir in sugar and melted butter.

Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add to fruit mixture and mix. Spread cake batter in prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Nice served with scoop vanilla ice cream, and nutmeg sauce (below). Ice cream and sauce not included in nutrition analysis.

NOTES:
Also called “Old Fruit Cake” or “Bottled Fruit Cake.” This is a rich old fashioned cake recipe that uses up older bottled/canned fruit. Serves 20

Nutmeg Sauce:
Combine 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Stir into 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon imitation rum flavoring (optional).