SELFRIDGE - The butt of Christmas jokes everywhere drew big money down in Selfridge.

A loaf of Julia Becker's fruitcake commanded an astounding $600 at a recent benefit auction.

The recipe:

First, read through entire recipe. These are the ingredients needed. Make no substitutions. All measurements are level. Assemble all ingredients and let stand at room temperature one hour.

3 packages (8 ounces each) or 1 package (1 pound) and 1 package (8 ounces) imported pitted dates

1 pound candied pineapple (half green, half yellow), plus some green for decoration

1 pound whole candied cherries, plus some for decoration

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2 pounds (8 cups) pecan halves, plus some for decoration (walnuts may be substituted here)

Light corn syrup

TO MAKE CAKE

1. Use two 9 x 3 1/4 inch loose-bottomed tube pans or two 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans; or use one of each. With pastry brush, grease pans well with softened butter or margarine. Set pan on piece of brown paper and trace around edge and inside of tube. Then cut out tracing and fit in pan. Cut a strip the right length and width and fit around side of pan. For loaf pan, cut bottom and all side sections separately.

2. Turn on oven; set at 275 degrees. If oven has no control, use a portable oven thermometer and keep correct temperature by controlling heat.

3. Using shears dipped occasionally in cold water, cut dates in half crosswise. Cut 1 pound pineapple in course pieces. Put fruits in large bowl with 1 pound cherries.

4. Spoon flour lightly into measuring cup for dry ingredients and fill heaping full. Do no shake down or pack with spoon. Level off with metal spatula. Put in sifter with baking powder and salt and sift onto fruits.

5. Mix fruits and dry ingredients well with fingers, separating pieces of fruit so that all are well coated with dry ingredients.

6. With electric mixer or rotary beater, beat eggs until frothy.

7. Gradually beat in sugar. Add to fruit mixture and mix well with large spoon.

8. Add 2 pounds nuts and mix with hands until nuts are evenly distributed and coated with batter.

9. Pack into pans, pressing down with palms of hands. If necessary, rearrange pieces of fruit and nuts to fill any empty spaces.

10. Decorate tops with rows of whole red candied cherries, thin slices of green pineapple and nut halves.

11. Bake tube cakes about 1 1/4 hours; loaf cakes 1 1/2 hours. (Tops of cakes should look dry but will not be brown. If there is any doubt, leave cakes in oven a few minutes longer since a little extra baking does no harm.)

12. When tube cakes are done, let stand in pans on cake racks about 5 minutes. Then run spatula around edge, lift cake out of pan sides and carefully peel off paper around sides. Cool on cake racks, then invert on serving plate. Remove pan bottom and peel off paper. Turn cake right side up, brush with corn syrup and cool completely. Let cakes in loaf pans stand in pans on cake racks about 30 minutes before inverting on cutting board or tray. Peel off paper, turn right side up and brush with corn syrup; cool.