Daisys Fruitcake Food

DAISY'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Line three 8x4-in. loaf pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar and apple juice; let stand for 15 minutes. In a bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add to apple mixture; mix well. Combine the flour, apple pie spice, baking soda and salt; add to apple mixture and mix well. Fold in pecans, cherries and pineapple. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Remove waxed paper. Cool completely.

DAISY CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 14 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan.
• Prepare the cake batter according to the package instructions. Fill the prepared muffin cups halfway full with batter. Scrape the remaining batter (about 2 1/2 cups) into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake the cupcakes and cake, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes and cake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes for the cupcakes and 23 to 28 minutes for the cake. Let cool in the pans about 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: Meanwhile, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth.
• Transfer 3 cups of the frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain round tip (number 803).
• Transfer 1 cup of the frosting to a small bowl and tint with the golden yellow gel food coloring. Scrape the yellow frosting into a small pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain round tip (number 804).
• Cover the remaining frosting (about 2 cups) with plastic and reserve for frosting the cake.
• To assemble: Place the cake layer upside down on an extra-large cutting board or platter (at least 18-by-14-inches). Arrange the cupcakes in their liners around the cake to create a daisy shape. Pipe a border of the white frosting along the edges of the daisy. Using a small offset spatula, spread the reserved white frosting evenly inside the border to frost the top of the cake and bring the cupcakes and cake together into one cake.
• Gently invert a small bowl (with a diameter of about 3 1/2-inches) in the center of the cake to lightly indent a circle. Remove the bowl. Using the indented circle as a guideline, pipe small dollops of the yellow frosting with peaks to fill in the circle.
• Pipe a border of white frosting along the edge of each petal to define their shapes. To serve, remove the cupcakes and slice the cake.

DAISY'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Line three 9-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, sugar and apple juice; let stand for 15 minutes. In a bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add to apple mixture; mix well. Combine the flour, apple pie spice, baking soda and salt; add to apple mixture and mix well. Fold in pecans, cherries and pineapple. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Remove waxed paper. Cool completely.

CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter, add sugar, then beaten egg yolks. Sprinkle some of the flour over the fruit and pecans. Add spices and salt to remaining flour.
• Combine butter, fruit and flour mixtures. Add vanilla extract and baking soda.
• Beat egg whites until stiff and fold together butter/flour mixture. Drop scant teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 - 15 minutes. Batter may be prepared several weeks ahead. Freezes well before and after baking.

DAISY'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Line three 9-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, sugar and apple juice; let stand for 15 minutes. In a bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add to apple mixture; mix well. Combine the flour, apple pie spice, baking soda and salt; add to apple mixture and mix well. Fold in pecans, cherries and pineapple. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Remove waxed paper. Cool completely.

DAISY CAKE

Steps:

• Trim the top of the cake with a long serrated knife to make the surface level. Using a ruler as a guide, insert toothpicks or wooden skewers into the sides of the cake at 2-inch intervals to mark two equal layers. Rest the serrated knife on the toothpicks, and halve the cake horizontally using a sawing motion. Carefully slide the top cake layer onto a cardboard round, and set it aside.
• With a small offset spatula, spread top of bottom layer with 1 1/4 cups frosting; carefully slide the second cake layer back on top of the first layer.
• Fit a pastry bag with a coupler, and fill with frosting (for petals); set aside. Tint 3/4 cup of remaining frosting dark green (for leaves and stems) and 1/3 cup frosting bright yellow (for dots); set aside. Tint 4 cups frosting chartreuse (for base coat) by mixing leaf green, lemon yellow, and a touch of egg yellow.
• Gently brush away loose crumbs from top and sides of cake with a pastry brush. With the offset spatula, spread about 1 1/2 cups chartreuse frosting over top and sides of cake to form a crumb coat. Refrigerate cake until frosting is firm, about 15 minutes.
• With a large offset spatula, spread about 2 more cups chartreuse frosting over top and sides to form a second coat. Smooth top and remove excess frosting with the large offset spatula. Smooth sides with a bench scraper. Return cake to refrigerator; chill until second coat is firm, about 15 minutes.
• Lightly score surface of cake with a knife to mark 8 wedges, wiping knife clean after making each mark.
• Decorate cake: Using green frosting and the #3 tip, pipe a slightly curved line for the stem. The daisy's petals are made with the #352 leaf tip. Using white frosting and holding the bag with the tip's pointed end facing up, apply pressure and pull out straight from the stem; release pressure and pull upward to finish each petal. Repeat, for twelve or more petals, wiping off the tip between strokes if necessary. Switch to yellow frosting and the #3 tip. Holding the bag at a 90 degree angle to the cake, make a mound of tiny dots in the center. Finally, with green frosting and the #352 leaf tip, pipe a small leaf originating at the base of the stem (using the same technique described for the petals).
• Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving. Slice into wedges: To avoid crumbs on surface, make each cut with one downward motion, pulling knife back toward you (not upward) and wiping knife clean after each cut.