Fermented Fruit Cake Wrap Food

FREE RANGE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
• Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)
• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
• Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
• When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

THIRTY DAY FRIENDSHIP CAKE

Steps:

• Day One: In a large glass jar or bowl, combine 2 cups of the starter with 1 can of the sliced peaches and their juice (each slice chopped into 4 pieces). Add 2 1/2 cups of the white sugar and stir once every day for 10 days. When not stirring mixture, keep it covered with a paper towel, foil, or a loose lid. Let sit at room temperature. Don't refrigerate it or cover it airtight. A pan of water underneath the jar or bowl will keep the ants out.
• Day Ten: Add 1 can of chunk pineapple and its juice. Cut each chunk of pineapple in half. Stir in 1/2 cup of white sugar. Stir once everyday for 10 days. The color should change, and the mixture should foam when stirred.
• Day Twenty: Slice each cherry in half, and stir in. Add 2 1/2 cups of the white sugar. Stir once every day for the final 10 days. The cherries will give the juice back its pinkish color.
• Day Thirty: Drain fruit and reserve it and the liquid. The fruit will be used in the cake. Pour the liquid into 3 glass or ceramic pint jars. One for you to start your next cake, and two for friends. Cake must be started within 3 days after receiving the starter, or you should freeze the starter to use at a later date. Do not use plastic or metal containers to store liquid!
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x13-inch baking pans.
• It's best to mix the two cakes separately. Combine 1 box of the cake mix, 1 box of the instant vanilla pudding, 2/3 cup of the vegetable oil, and 4 of the eggs. Stir, then add 1/2 of the drained reserved fruit from the starter. Stir, then add 1 cup of the golden raisins, 1 cup of the chopped nuts and 1 cup of the coconut. Stir until all ingredients are combined. The batter will be stiff. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Repeat for cake number two.
• Bake cakes at in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes.

STARTER FOR FRIENDSHIP FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In a 1-gallon glass jar with a wide mouth and lid, combine the peaches, pineapple, maraschino cherries, sugar and yeast (make sure the yeast is well mixed with syrup).
• Stir mixture two times the first day.
• Stir once a day afterward.
• Do not refrigerate this mixture.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Two weeks after starting the starter, add 1/2 cup peaches and 1/2 cup pineapple with syrup.
• Wait for several days, stirring daily, and drain 2 cups of mixed fruit and use to make cake as directed in the cake recipe.
• Reserve 1 1/2 cups starter juice and leave in glass gallon jar.
• Count this as Day One, and start the process for renewing the starter and making the cake.
• DAY 1: To reserved 1 1/2 cups starter juice (or to starter juice given you by a friend), add 2 1/2 cups sugar and a 2-lb can of peaches with syrup.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 10: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, a 2 pound can pineapple chunks with juice.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 20: Add 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 8 to 10 oz drained and halved maraschino cherries.
• Stir daily.
• Keep loosely covered.
• Do not refrigerate.
• DAY 30: Drain fruit, reserving 1 1/2 cups juice for renewing starter.
• Use drained fruit to make 3 cakes (see recipe), give excess starter juice to friends, and start a new batch of fruit (repeat aforementioned process).
• At the end of 30 days, you will have enough excess starter juice to give to about four friends.
• Be sure to keep enough juice (1 1/2 cups) for your own starter.
• At the end of 30 days, there will be enough fruit to use 1 3/4 cups fruit in each cake, which makes the cake better and doesn't waste the fruit.
• The cakes can be frozen.
• It is not necessary to bake all three cakes the same day, but stir the remaining fruit mixture every day until it is used (this fruit mixture can be refrigerated until used).
• The drained fruit can be frozen until you are ready to bake the cakes.

FRUIT-FILLED FRENCH TOAST WRAPS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine yogurt and banana. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dip both sides of each tortilla in egg mixture. In a skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add tortilla; cook until golden brown, 1-2 minutes on each side., Spoon yogurt mixture down center of tortillas; top with strawberries, blueberries and granola. Roll up each tortilla. If desired, top with additional yogurt, berries and granola.

FERMENTED FRUIT CAKE WRAP

Steps:

• Pour grapefruit juice into a large bowl and add cheesecloth; allow to soak. Wrap the cake in the grapefruit-soaked cheesecloth; wrap again in 2 layers of aluminum foil. Store in a cool place for up to 2 or 3 months.

FRIENDSHIP FRUIT STARTER & CAKE

Steps:

• (Do not refrigerate). Keep on counter top in gallon jar.
• Stir several times daily.
• This will make enough fruit for 3 cakes.
• Cover jar with a cloth, not a lid.
• Combine 1 cup sugar, peach juice and pineapple juice, stir everyday for 2 weeks.
• Next combine 1 1/2 cups starter, 2 1/2 cups sugar and cut up peaches with juice, stir for 10 days.
• Then add 2 1/2 cups sugar and pineapple with juice, stir for 10 more days.
• Then add 2 1/2 cups sugar, fruit cocktail with juice and chopped up cherries, stir for 10 more days.
• Then drain fruit juice from fruit and give to friends for a starter 1 1/2 cups to 4 or 5 friends.
• To make the cake: mix all cake ingredients together, pour into greased and floured bundt pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes.
• This cake freezes well if you would like to freeze a couple for later.
• To make the icing: Beat all icing ingredients until fluffy.
• Double icing recipe for three cakes.