Depression Cake Part Two

I liked that recipe so much I decided to change it. I think this really turned out nicely, it has a rich fruitcake taste and the addition of wine makes it suitable for all types of depression, no?

1/2 cup caramelized peel, cut small

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup brown sugar packed

1  cup water

1/2 cup red wine

1/3 cup shortening 

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves 

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

3 tbs white poppy seeds

1/3  cup walnut halves

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups sifted flour

4 tsp Baking Powder

1 tbs Vanilla

Caramelized Peel:

1 cup water

1/3 cup wine

peel of one very large orange and 1/2 very large lemon

Boil peel in the water until it is reduced and they have softened. Then add a cup of sugar. Get distracted when you realize that water decals can be printed on your computer which means that you can design your own nail art and print it out. The sugar should just start to... uh... caramelize. Pour out the browning sugar water through a strainer, you should have some near crispy sugary peel. It really tastes good this way, but there's a fine line between deliciously browned and burned to a crisp.

Put the peel back in the pan. 

Pit the dates and slice them up, pressing them into a cup measure to get one cup. Put the brown sugar, dates, raisins, walnuts, shortening, seeds, spices, and salt into the pan and add the wine and water to it.

Boil for three minutes at a rolling boil. Cool.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add the fruit mix to it.

Stir it up and pour it into a loaf pan.

Bake for one hour at around 350 degrees.

This really turned out good though I was certain I'd blown it a few times (damned add).

Now I can't wait till that decal paper comes in though/