Beginner'S Fruit And Nut Cake

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (1 qt.) dried and/or glaceed fruit, diced: any combination of pitted dates, apricots, cranberries, cherries, pineapple, mango, papaya, figs, prunes
• 1 cup seedless raisins, any color
• 8 ounces unsalted nuts, roughly chopped (any combination of walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios)
• The juice of one orange, or 1/2 cup bottled orange or apple juice or apple cider
• The finely grated peel (no white pith) of one orange (optional)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with 1/4 cup molasses OR
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (actually, I prefer Wilton clear vanilla in this recipe)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Red and/or green glaceed cherries, optional
• Unbroken pecan, walnut or cashew halves, or skinned whole almonds or hazelnuts (optional)