Christmas Fruitcake Recipe

Sift the first 6 ingredients into a large mixing bowl. In another mixing bowl, cream the next 6 ingredients together beginning with the vanilla, brown sugar, butter and eggs. Then mix in the applesauce and marmalade. Mix dates, nuts, cherries and ginger pieces with dry ingredients. Mix this well even using your hands if needed. Pack all the mixture into the pan with your hands until the pan is filled to the top in a tube pan that has been lined with parchment paper . Place a pan of water on bottom rack of oven. Bake cake at 300 degrees for 2 3/4 to 3 hours.