Fruitcake With Apricot Butter Icing Food

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.

APRICOT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the fruits, nuts, honey, water and lemon juice; set aside. , In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Fold into fruit mixture. Combine dry ingredients; gradually fold into the fruit mixture until evenly coated. Pour into two greased and waxed paper-lined 9x5-in. loaf pans. , With a shallow pan of water in the bottom of the oven, bake at 275° for 2-1/2 hours or until cake tests done. Cover with foil during the last 30 minutes. , Cool 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Remove waxed paper and wrap each cake in foil. Place in plastic bags and store in a cool, dry place.

FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the raisins, apricots, figs, ginger, and brandy (sub whiskey or apple cider if you like). Cover and let soak for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours, stirring a few times during the soak.
• Preheat the oven to 300F. Butter or spray 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans with baking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. With mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. With a spatula, fold in the candied cherries, nuts, and soaked fruit. Divide the batter evenly among the two baking pans.
• Bake for 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the cake to release it from the edges. Remove and place them on a cooling rack. Generously brush tops and sides of the cakes with brandy or whiskey (you can also use simple syrup). Cool completely. Store the cakes tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 6 weeks.

APRICOT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease two 9 inch tube pans.
• In a saucepan over medium heat cook apricots in the water until they are mushy. Press them through a sieve and let them cool.
• Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks until lemony colored. Then beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Set aside.
• Cream the butter or margarine and sugar together. Add the beaten egg yolks and the apricots, and mix thoroughly.
• Combine the raisins, candied cherries, candied pineapple, and mixed dried fruits in a bowl coated with one cup of the flour.
• Combine the remaining flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this flour mixture alternately to the creamed mixture with the apricot juice. Blend this batter into the mixed fruits. Add the chopped pecans or walnuts and fold in the beaten egg whites. Turn the batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) for 2 hours. Garnish cakes with candied pineapples and cherries. Makes about 24 servings.

LAYERED FRUITCAKE WITH CREME FRAICHE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat oven to 400. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment cut to fit, and butter parchment.
• Whisk together flours, confectioners' sugar, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.
• Finely chop fruits and peels; coarsely chop almonds. Mix with brandy.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in granulated sugar. Raise speed to medium-high, beating until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle a third of the flour mixture over the peaks, and fold with a spatula until just combined. Gently fold in another third of the flour mixture. Toss brandied fruits and nuts with remaining flour mixture, then fold into batter.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, and smooth tops. Bake until golden brown and cakes pull away slightly from sides of pans, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire racks for 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges to loosen, then invert cakes onto racks to cool completely. (Cakes can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated overnight.)
• For the frosting: Beat cream cheese with a standing mixer on medium-high speed until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and beat in confectioners' sugar. Raise speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Switch to the whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, beat in 1 1/2 cups cream and the vanilla. Add creme fraiche, and beat until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed. (Frosting is best used the day you make it; refrigerate it in an airtight container until needed.)
• To assemble: Place 4 1/2 cups frosting in a large bowl, refrigerating remainder for glaze. Whisk until very stiff peaks form. Place 1 cake on an inverted baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush with 2 tablespoons jam. Using an offset spatula, spread 3/4 cup frosting over jam. Repeat with second cake, 2 tablespoons jam, and 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake. Refrigerate remaining 3 cups frosting. Freeze cake for 1 hour.
• Spread remaining 3 cups frosting over top and sides of cake, smoothing with an offset spatula. Freeze for 1 hour.
• For the glaze: Add remaining 1 1/2 cups cream to the refrigerated frosting, and whisk until combined. Place cake on a wire rack set on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a ladle, spoon glaze over cake, allowing it to drip down sides, until cake is covered. (You will have a generous amount of leftover glaze. The glaze on the cake will appear slightly translucent but will become more opaque when chilled.) Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Using 2 spatulas, transfer cake to a serving platter or a cake stand. Sprinkle sanding sugar over top, and gently toss it onto sides to coat entire cake. Wipe sugar from edges of platter. Garnish with sugared lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately.

APRICOT & ALMOND FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Mix the sultanas and sherry and set aside for 1 hr to soak.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a deep, 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin, and line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment that comes about 2.5cm above the sides of the tin. In your largest mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one.
• Stir in the flour, baking powder, and the ground and flaked almonds. Next, add the soaked sultanas with any remaining sherry, the dried apricots, the mixed peel, and all the zest and juice. Scrape into the cake tin, smoothing out the surface.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hr 25 mins. Poke with a skewer in the centre to check it is cooked - if the skewer comes out with any uncooked mixture stuck to it, bake for 10 mins more before checking again. Cool in the tin. Decorated, or wrapped in greaseproof paper and foil, the cake will keep for up to a month.

APRICOT FROSTING

Steps:

• Cream butter (until lightened in color and fluffy) in a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) on medium high speed.
• Reduce speed to medium, and add sugar in 1/2 cup at a time.
• Mix in vanilla and Apricot Whip.
• Use immediately or refrigerate airtight up to 3 days and stir before using.

APRICOT CAKE WITH APRICOT BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Apricot Cake.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Trace the bottoms of two 9" X 1 1/2" cake pans onto parchment paper. Cut out the outlines. Butter and flour both pans, knocking out excess flour. Place traced parchment paper on pan bottoms.
• Pour apricot nectar into a microwave-safe liquid measuring glass. Microwave on high-power until nectar is reduced by half (should measure 1 1/2 cups). This will take 10-15 minutes. Be sure to watch as nectar reduces to ensure that it does not reduce too much. Refrigerate reduced nectar until no longer warm to the touch.
• Meanwhile, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
• In a separate bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
• Beat for a total of 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl.
• Then add flour mixture to creamed mixture.
• Finally, add 3/4 cup cooled apricot nectar to mixture.
• Beat for two minutes.
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake in pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until cake tests done.
• Cool in pans on cooling racks for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife along the edge of the pans and invert onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• Apricot Buttercream.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
• In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, add the cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks.
• In a small heavy saucepan, heat 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture is bubbling. Stop stirring and cook mixture until it reaches 248-250 F, the firm ball stage. It will be thick and gooey.
• Immediately pour the syrup into the prepared egg whites, beat constantly with an electric mixer or hand mixer. Continue beating until mixture is completely cool, 3-5 minutes.
• Beat in the butter 1 Tbs at a time. If the mixture looks curdled, it is likely too cool. Let it sit at room temperature and continue to beat in butter until completely smooth. It will be curdled at first but it will set up when beaten if you allow it to come to room temperature!
• Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup reduced apricot nectar. Allow mixture to come to room temperature and it will set up smoothly when beaten.