Grandma Leone's Fruit Cake Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 8x8-inch baking pans.

Bring water and raisins to a boil in a saucepan; cook until raisins are plump about 2 minutes. Drain and cool raisins; reserve raisin water.

Mix 3 cups flour cinnamon baking powder baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Place pecans and 2 tablespoons flour in a resealable plastic bag; close and shake bag until pecans are coated. Pour pecans into a colander and shake off excess flour.

Whisk sugar oil eggs and cooled raisin water together in a bowl; fold in candied fruit. Stir flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time into sugar mixture until fully incorporated; fold in raisins and pecans. Fill the prepared pans a little over half full.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); bake until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean about 1 more hour.