Christmas Pound Cake

1 pound butter or margarine
1 pound granulated sugar
1 pound flour (4 cups all-purpose or 4 1/2 cups cake flour)
2 cups white raisins
1 pound pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 to 1 cup candied cherries
1/2 to 1 cup candied pineapple
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons lemon extract (2 ounce bottle)
6 eggs

Cream butter, sugar and lemon extract. Sift flour once, then measure. Sift twice more, adding baking powder and salt to last sift. Add eggs, one at a time, to creamed mixture, alternating with flour, beating well after each addition. This makes a very stiff batter so will probably have to be beaten by hand. Then add nuts, raisins and candied fruits which have been coated with a little of the flour. Bake in a large round tube pan which has been lined with brown paper and greased. Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours, or until done when tested.