Apricot Brandy Bread

Ingredients

 * 1 cup Dried apricots, chopped
 * 1 tsp Baking soda
 * 1/4 cup Apricot brandy, plus:
 * 1 tbsp Apricot brandy
 * 1/4 tsp Salt
 * 1/2 cup Shortening
 * 1 tsp Cinnamon
 * 1 cup Sugar
 * 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
 * 1/4 tsp Allspice
 * 2 cup Flour
 * 1/4 tsp Cloves
 * 1 cup Pecans, chopped
 * 1 cup Applesauce
 * 1 Egg

Directions
Combine apricots & brandy; cover and refrigerate overnight. Cream shortening; gradually add sugar and beating well. Add egg, and mix well. Combine one cup flour with baking soda, spices, and salt; set aside. Add pecans to apricot mixture; combine with reserved flour mixture. Toss well to coat all pieces with flour; set aside. Add remaining one cup flour to shortening/sugar mixture alternating with applesauce, (beginning and ending with flour mixture). Stir in reserved apricot mixture. Pour into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 loafpan; bake at 350 °F for 1 hour and 15 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. This is more of a sweet cake than a bread. May be wrapped in cheeecake and soaked with additional brandy and stored in a tin, if desired. judy garnet
 * Yield: 1 loaf.
 * Notes: may be frozen up to 3 months.