Cherry Almond Fruitcake Food

DRIED CHERRY-ALMOND FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter nonstick angel food cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Toss first 4 ingredients with 1/2 cup flour in large bowl to coat.
• Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in another large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in rum, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in dried fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pan, flattening to eliminate air pockets. Bake until tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean and cake is deep golden brown, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes.
• For syrup:
• Whisk rum and maple syrup in bowl. Spoon half over warm cake in pan. Let stand until absorbed. Cut around cake to loosen; invert onto platter. Peel off paper. Spoon remaining syrup over cake. Let stand about 4 hours. (Can be made ahead. Cover and store at room temperature 1 day or chill up to 1 week.)

CHERRY AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 160C/ 325F/ Gas 3.
• Line a 20cm deep cake tin with greased non-stick baking paper.
• Place the cherry halves in a small bowl and coat with 1tbs of the flour. Put to one side.
• Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream together.
• Add the almond essence and then gradually add the eggs, beating well in between each addition.
• Stir in 60g of flaked almonds and the lemon rind.
• Fold in both flours and then gently fold in the cherries.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
• Sprinkle the remaining almonds over the surface and then bake for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes until golden.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

THE BEST FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, currants, apricots, figs, prunes, dates, walnuts, pecans, orange zest, lemon zest, candied ginger, pumpkin pie spice and cloves in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add 1 cup of the brandy, orange liqueur and molasses and stir to coat. Cover and set aside to macerate overnight. (Alternatively, cover the bowl and microwave 2 minutes, or until very hot. Leave covered and let sit until almost all the liquid has been absorbed into the fruit and nuts, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and line each with 2 pieces of parchment, one lengthwise and one crosswise, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the soaked fruit mixture and toss to coat. Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium-low and beat in the flour mixture until the batter is blended and smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until all the fruit is coated in batter.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, the tops spring back slightly when pressed and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove each cake from its pan using the parchment overhang and place on the rack to cool completely.
• To store, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic and then foil. The wrapped fruitcakes can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

CHERRY-ALMOND POUND CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring cherries and orange juice to a boil. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature., In a large bowl, cream the butter, almond paste and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Stir in the cherry mixture. , Spoon into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 325° for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. , Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm cake. Cool completely.

CHERRY ALMOND POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour a bundt or tube pan.
• Combine the cake mix, pie filling, almond extract, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly by hand until well moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool on rack for 15 minutes; invert cooled cake onto serving plate. Cool completely.
• Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract in a small bowl. Add drops of water until glaze is drizzling consistency. Spoon glaze over cooled cake.

CHERRY ALMOND CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine almonds and cracker crumbs; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add eggs, beat on low just until combined. Pour into prepared crust., Refrigerate 1/2 cup pie filling for garnish. Drop remaining pie filling by teaspoonfuls onto cream cheese mixture; cut through batter with a knife to swirl the filling. Bake at 325° for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Chill overnight. Remove sides of pan. Cut cheesecake into slices; garnish with reserved pie filling. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHERRY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Using a tube pan (line bottom with two greased layers of greased waxed paper, and grease sides of pan); or using two loaf pans or eight mini-loaf pans (line bottom/sides with two greased layers of waxed paper). Be generous with shortening on the layer next to the cake.
• Cut pineapple, red and green cherries in half; cut dates in 3 pieces.Using hands, combine pineapple, cherries, dates, and pecans in a large bowl. Add sugar, mix well, and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Beat eggs& vanilla until light and fluffy; pour over fruit and nut mixture. Using hands, mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour on above mixture until"syrupy", again, using hands.
• Preheat oven to 275°F Add cake mixture evenly to pans and pack down tightly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, approximately 90 minutes for a tube pan; 1 1/4 hr for 2 loaf pans; and check starting after an hour for mini-loaf pans.
• Remove cake (s) from oven, cool slightly, and remove waxed paper while still warm.