The Ultimate Japanese Fruit Cake Recipe: A Flavor Explosion!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour four (9-inch) round cake pans.

Toss together raisins, coconut, and pecans with 1 cup flour in a medium bowl until well coated. Set aside.

Cream sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift together remaining 2 cups flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture in batches, alternating with milk, beating briefly after each addition. Fold in raisin mixture until incorporated.

Whip egg whites in a separate clean bowl to stiff peaks. Fold into batter until no streaks remain. Divide batter into the prepared cake pans.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

Make filling: Combine sugar and flour in a saucepan; add water and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Chop oranges and lemons into small pieces and add to water mixture in the saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in coconut and set aside to cool.

Assemble cake with filling between cooled cake layers; end with filling on top.