Fruitcake Bites

6 tablespoons butter-flavor shortening
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/3 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1/3 cup red candied cherries, chopped
1/3 cup green candied cherries, chopped
1 3.5-ounce container diced candied orange peel (about 1/2 cup),
chopped
red and green candied cherries for garnish

Grease twenty-four 1 3/4" by 1" mini muffin-pan cups. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, with wooden spoon, beat shortening, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well combined. Add flour, milk, vanilla extract, and eggs; mix well. Stir in pecans, prunes, red candied cherries, green candied cherries, and candied orange peel.

Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon batter into each muffin-pan cup (reserve remaining batter for making more fruitcake bites). If you like, garnish with additional red and green candied cherries.

Bake fruitcake bites 15 to 20 minutes until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool fruitcake bites in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks. Wash and dry muffin-pan cups.

Repeat steps 3 and 4 with remaining batter until all batter has been used, garnishing with candied cherries.

Store fruitcake bites in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Yield: About 2 dozen