Christmas Cherry Raisin And Walnut Fruitcake Food

DARK FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place candied fruit, ginger, raisins, currants, cherries, walnuts or lemon rind, orange marmalade, lemon juice, brandy or orange juice, and vanilla and almond extracts in a large bowl; toss well, cover and let stand overnight at room temperature.
• Grease, then line the bottom of a 10-inch tube pan with wax paper. Preheat oven to 250 F.
• Sift together twice the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, allspice, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
• Cream butter until light, add sugar gradually, and continue creaming until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add to dry ingredients, about 1 cup at a time, beating just to blend. (Note: Unless you have an extra-large mixing bowl, you will have to transfer batter to a large kettle at this point.) Mix in the fruit mixture.
• Spoon batter into the pan and, if you wish, decorate the top with halved candied cherries and walnuts. Place on center oven rack; half fill a roasting pan with water and place on the rack below. Bake uncovered, 4 1/4 hours until cake shrinks slightly from sides of the pan and a metal skewer inserted midway between the edge and the central tube comes out clean.
• Cool cake upright in pan on a wire rack for one hour. Carefully turn out, peel off the wax paper, turn right-side up and cool thoroughly.
• Wrap in brandy or rum soaked cheesecloth then in foil, and store in an airtight container about three weeks to ripen. If you wish to store it longer, sprinkle cheesecloth wrapping with 2 to 3 tablespoons brandy or rum at 3-week intervals.
• Enjoy. Recipe Source: by Jean Anderson, Elaine Hanna (Doubleday). Reprinted with permission.

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.

HOLIDAY WHITE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°. Line bottoms of four greased 9x5-in. loaf pans with parchment; grease parchment., In a small bowl, toss candied fruit, raisins and walnuts with 1/2 cup flour. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in remaining flour. Fold in fruit mixture., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

CHERRY WALNUT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Lightly spray or wipe four 3x6x2 inch loaf pans with vegetable oil. (I used muffin cups which worked out great).
• In a large bowl, combine cherries, dates, and 1/2 cup sherry; set aside for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a separate large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add the nuts. Add the egg and egg whites. Mix well.
• Stir the flour mixture into the fruit mixture. Place 1 cup of batter into each loaf pan.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and immediately pour the remaining sherry over the loaves.
• Keep in a tin, well wrapped with plastic wrap, for up to two weeks.

CHRISTMAS CAKE - EASY MOIST FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Place dried fruit and juice/brandy in a large microwavable container. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes on high or until hot.
• Stir to coat all fruit in liquid. Cover then set aside for 1 hour (to plump up/soak and cool).
• Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Grease and line a 21 - 22 cm / 8 - 9" round cake pan with baking paper (parchment paper) (7 cm / 2.75" tall).
• Using an electric beater, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute on speed 5).
• Add oil and molasses, beat until combined.
• Add salt, spices and baking powder - beat until incorporated.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated
• Stir in the flour.
• When mostly incorporated, stir in the fruit mix (including all the extra liquid in bowl) and walnuts (if using).
• Pour into cake pan, cover with foil and bake for 3 hours 15 minutes, removing foil the last 45 minutes. Skewer inserted into middle should come out clean with no batter on it.
• Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.
• Cake is moist and so full flavoured, it can be eaten plain. But see below for decorating and serving ideas (traditionally served with pouring custard).
• Cutting: Either cut into thin wedges, or cut cake into thin strips (2cm / 0.75" or so), then cut those strips into serving size pieces.
• Traditional White Christmas Cake (pictured in post) - Marzipan and fondant, see Decorating Note.
• Simple - pile top with fresh cherries or other fruit, dust with icing sugar (powdered sugar). Wrap a ribbon around the cake for extra touch!
• Drippy white glaze - use the glaze in this Lemon Cake recipe, but leave out the lemon juice (ie make a plain sweet white glaze). Flip cake upside down for flat surface then glaze per that recipe.
• Serving - serve with custard for a traditional experience! Either homemade custard or store bought pouring custard (jazz it up by mixing in vanilla seed paste!).

CHRISTMAS CHERRY RAISIN AND WALNUT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• 1. Prehat oven to 325 f 10 in square baking cake pan. In medium bowl, toss dried cherries and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. In seperate medium bowl with a wire wisk, stir in 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
• 2. In large bowl, with mixer turned low, beat butter and sugar until blended, turn up speed to high; beat until fluffy and light,5minutes., occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs , brandy, vanilla and flour mixture; beat until well mixed, frequantly scraping bowl. Stir cherry mixture into flour mixture. Spoon butter into prepared pan spread evenly.
• 3. Arrange walnuts all over top of batter in pan. Bake 1 hour 10 min or until a toothpick comes out clean go around the edges of pan to loosen it from sides let cool 10 minutes then place upside down on cake plate let cool completely. In 1 quart sauce pan heat cherry perserves over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until melted and bubbly, brush cooled cake with the preserves let cool 15 minutes. Serve

CHERRY NUT CAKE III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Make a well in the center and pour in the oil, eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix well, then stir in nuts and cherries. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Combine fruit and nuts. In another bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Pour over fruit and nuts; stir to coat. , Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 2 hours. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool place. Bring to room temperature before serving; slice with a serrated knife.

WALNUT-RAISIN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour well a 10-inch kuchen, bundt or tube pan. in large bowl, combine walnuts, cherries and raisins with 1/2 C bourbon; mix well. Let stand at room temperature several hours or overnight- liquid will be absorbed.
• On sheet of waxed paper, sift flour with baking powder, salt and nutmeg; set aside. In large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth and light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat at medium speed 4 minutes, occaisonally scraping side of bowl. Batter will become thick and lighter in color. At low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture until smooth.
• Add to fruit; mix with wooden spoon to combine well. Turn into prepared pan; smooth top with spatula. Bake in center of oven 1 hour and 20 minutes in kuchen pan; 1 hour 15 minutes in bundt pan; 1 hour and 10 minutes in tube pan.
• Cake tester inserted in center should come out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Use small spatula to loosen cake around inside; invert on wire rack; cool completely. In small bowl, soak a large piece of cheesecloth in 1/2 C bourbon.
• Stretch cheesecloth on large piece of foil. Place cake in center. Wrap cake in cheesecloth; then wrap in foil. Refrigerate several days to mellow. (Will keep several weeks in refrigerator). To serve, slice thinly; let warm to room temperature.

CHERRY DATE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Add the pecans, cherries, pineapple and dates; toss to coat. Beat eggs and apple juice; add to fruit mixture and mix well. Grease two foil-lined 9x5-in. loaf pans. Press half of the mixture into each pan. , Bake at 300° for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans; carefully remove foil. Brush loaves with corn syrup. Cool completely.

MARASCHINO CHERRY NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans or one 9x13-inch cake pan.
• Reserve 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice. Coarsely chop the cherries to make 1/2 cup. Set aside.
• Sift cake flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and set aside.
• Beat shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/3 cups white sugar and beat until well combined. Add the egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Combine 2/3 cup milk and reserved 1/4 cup cherry juice. Add the flour and milk mixture alternately to the shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Stir in the chopped cherries and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• In preheated oven until cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger or a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes for round cakes (or 30 to 35 minutes for a 9x13 inch pan). Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
• To make frosting: beat 3/4 cups butter in a large bowl till fluffy. Gradually add 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar; beat well. Slowly beat in 1/3 cup milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gradually beat in the remaining 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat in additional milk (1 to 2 tablespoons) if needed, to make frosting of spreading consistency. If desired, tint the frosting pink by adding 6 drops of red food coloring.
• Once cake is completely cool, frost with butter frosting and decorate with maraschino cherries with stems.