Fruitcake Food

WORLD'S BEST FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• The Day Before Baking: Combine the dried fruit in a large mixing bowl. Add the dark rum, cover, and allow the mixture to soak at room temperature for a minimum of 12 hours, or ideally 24 hours prior to preparing the fruit cake batter.
• Prepare the Fruitcake: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) with a rack in the center position. Set aside two 8x4-inch All Clad Pro-Release Bakeware Loaf Pans. If using these pans, you do not need to line or grease the pans prior to adding the batter. Equipment Note: This fruitcake can also be prepared using 9x5-inch loaf pans. If using other types of pans, lightly grease and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and light brown sugar together over medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each egg is incorporated. The mixture will look slightly broken, that's ok.
• Over low speed, slowly add the flour mixture until just absorbed. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Add the lemon zest, orange zest, fresh orange juice, grated apple, slivered almonds, diced candied ginger, soaked dried fruit mixture (along with any liquid if it hasn't already been absorbed), and chocoate (if using). Stir mixture with a large spatula, scraping the edges and bottom of the bowl several times, until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated. It is a very thick, fruit heavy mixture.
• Transfer and divide the batter evenly among the loaf pans. Use an offset spatula to smooth the batter into an even layer. Set the loaf pans on the center rack, several inches apart from one another. Bake - rotating the pans halfway - for 75 to 90 minutes or until the batter is set and the tops are golden brown. The edges of the cake may also start to pull away slightly from the edges of the pan. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely before removing from the pans.
• Storing and Aging: Once the cake has cooled, carefully remove the cakes from the loaf pans and set upright. Soak two large pieces of cheesecloth in medium sherry or triple sec (*they should be lightly damp, not soaking wet when you wrap the cakes, so you may need to squeeze out any excess liquor). Wrap each cake tightly. Cover loafs with wax paper and foil before transferring to a large Ziploc bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 to 8 weeks (it can often last even longer). You can serve this cake right after it has cooled, but the flavors improve greatly with time (I recommend several days or up to a week, at minimum). Unwrap and re-soak the cheesecloth once a week.
• For Garnishing: If desired, you can top the fruitcake with a light apricot glaze and whole pecans before serving. Note: I don't recommend glazing the cake if you wish to continue to wrap and age the fruitcake. To Prepare the Glaze: Combine the apricot preserves and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a light simmer, stirring until the glaze is shiny and thin. If it is too thin for glazing, reduce to desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, add a teaspoon of water. Brush the tops of the fruitcakes with apricot glaze and garnish with whole pecans.
• Serving Notes: Slice fruit cake with a serrated knife. Serve on its own or spread with a small amount of salted butter.

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.

FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine fruit, raisins and pecans in a bowl.
• Stir in 1 cup flour.
• Cream butter, sugar, spices and eggs until light.
• Combine remaining flour, salt and baking powder.
• Combine honey, vanilla, almond extract and brandy; blend well.
• Alternately add flour mixture and honey mixture to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in fruit-nut mixture.
• Spoon into pans-batter should be too stiff to pour.
• Bake at 250º for two hours, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• While still hot, spoon 2 tablespoons of brandy over each cake.
• When cool, cover with foil; let stand in cool place for at least two weeks; every 3 days pour one tablespoon brandy over each.

BEST EVER FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Put the sugar, sultanas, currants, raisins, water, cherries, butter or margarine, salt into a saucepan, bringing it to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes
• Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool. Pre heat the oven to 170 degrees / Gas Mark 3
• Grease and line with grease proof paper a 20 cm round cake tin
• Add the egg to the cooled fruit mixture and stir in well. Add the flour and mix well
• Turn into the prepared cake tin, smooth the top and arrange optional almonds on the top.
• Bake for 1.25 - 1.50 hours until risen and golden brown. Cool slightly before turning out. The cake improves with keeping.

THE WORLD'S BEST FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Place coconut, dates, and pecan pieces in a very large (7 quart or larger) bowl. With your hands break up chunks of dates & coconut, and stir those 3 ingredients together.
• Add the cherries, pineapple, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir thoroughly. (I wear non-powdered surgical gloves, and stir it with my hands because the mixture is very stiff.).
• Let set at room temperature while you prepare the pans. Spray 2 - 9"x5" loaf pans with Pam. Line the pans with waxed (or parchment) paper. (We cut parchment paper in 4 1/4"x 16 1/4" and 8"x 12 1/2" strips for this. You want the paper to come up past the sides of the pans after the mixture is packed into the pans. It seems like a lot of work, but it's well worth the effort!) Now spray the paper (after you've pressed it into the pans) with Pam.
• Stir the ingredients well again.Divide the ingredients equally between the 2 loaf pans.
• Pack VERY TIGHTLY and smoothly into the pans. (I wet my hands & press, pack down, & smooth top, using both hands. Wetting your hands keeps them from sticking to "batter".).
• Place the pans on the middle rack of the oven and bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour, or until lightly browned. (If the cakes have baked for an hour, or look a little brown around the edges, take them out of the oven & lift edges of paper a little to see if sides look brown enough. If they're brown on sides, but not on top, you may broil the tops for a few minutes-watch carefully.).
• Remove cakes from oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pans.
• Gently lift the edges of the paper a couple of times on each side - kind of a rocking motion. Turn pans upside down onto a paper-lined cookie sheet. Lift pans from the cakes. Remove paper from bottom of cakes IMMEDIATELY.
• Let cool completely. Place in a large container (don't wrap yet) and refrigerate overnight.
• Turn cake upside down to slice. After slicing, wrap in waxed (or parchment) paper, then in heavy duty aluminum foil.
• May be refrigerated up to 3 months or frozen up to 1 year.

FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, dredge candied fruit and raisins in 1 cup flour.
• In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar and butter. Beat in eggs. Gradually beat in bourbon and milk. Mix in remaining flour and spices. Stir in fruit and nuts. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on wire racks.

EASY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Grease and line the base of two 20cm springform cake tins with baking parchment.
• Stir together the oil and sugar, add the eggs, flour, baking powder, spices and juices, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until pourable and reasonably runny. Gently fold in the fruit, then divide the batter evenly between the tins. Bake for 20-25 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, then leave to cool.
• When cool, remove from the tins and sandwich the cakes together with jam. Sieve some icing sugar on top to serve.

FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Chop 1st four ingriedients.
• Mix eggs & sugar.
• mix flour with spices and baking powder.
• Layer cherries, sprinkle flour mixture, layer pecan.
• Layer pinapple, sprinkle flour mixture, layer pecans.
• Layer dates, sprinkle flour mixture layer pecans.
• Repeat layers till all used up.
• Pour egg and sugar mixture over fruit and nuts, mix well by hand.
• Line pans that are used with wax paper and packed with mixture and put in a 225* oven and bake till toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let cool and pull wax paper off.
• Wrap cake in Saran Wrap.
• May put 1/2 cherries and whold pecans on top to decorate.

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.

FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Grease and flour a tube pan.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, soda, spices, eggs, lemon rind, vanilla, 1/2 cup brandy, fruit, nuts, and melted butter or margarine. Mix thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
• Wrap cooled cake in foil. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons brandy over the cake everyday for 2 weeks.

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.

FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Sample the wine to check for quality.
• Take a large bowl.
• Check the wine again to make sure it's of the highest quality.
• Pour 1 level cup and drink.
• Repeat if your're not sure.
• Turn on the electric mixer and beat butter in a large fluffy bowl.
• Add sugar and beat again.
• Make sure wine is still okay. Cry another cup.
• Turn off the mixer.
• Break two legs and add the bowl along with the vanilla extract and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
• Mix on the turner.
• If the fruit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a screwdriver.
• Sample the wine again to check for tonsisticity.
• Next, Sift 2 cups of salt or something. Who cares.
• Check the wine.
• Now sift the lemon juice and strain the nuts.
• Add 1 table. Spoon. Of sugar or flour or something. Whatever you can find.
• Grease the oven.
• Turn the cake pan to 350 degrees.
• Throw one bowl outside the window.
• Check the wine again.
• Go to bed.
• Who the heck likes fruitcake anyway?

FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Soak the currants in the amaretto at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Strain and set aside; reserve the amaretto. Beat the butter, 2 cups all-purpose flour, the almond flour, granulated sugar, milk powder, salt and egg in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until combined but not fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in the currants and candied citron.
• Toss the candied cherries with the remaining 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Stir into the dough using a wooden spoon. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a 12-inch-long log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 5 hours.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the frozen dough into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Arrange the slices 1 inch apart on the prepared pans.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are firm and light golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then brush the tops and sides of each cookie with the reserved amaretto. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Roll the edges of each cookie in the confectioners' sugar.

TRADITIONAL BRITISH RICH FRUITCAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• The day before baking, place the dried fruits in a large bowl. Add the tea and stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 325 F/170 C/Gas Mark 3. Line the bottom and sides of a greased 8 x 3-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
• Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl.
• Using an electric hand whisk or fork, cream the butter and the sugar until the mixture is light, smooth, and creamy.
• Beat 1 egg into the creamed butter, then beat in 1/4 of the flour. Repeat until all the eggs and flour are used. Add the treacle, brandy, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Stir gently using a spoon or spatula. Stir in the baking powder.
• Drain the dried fruits and add to a separate large bowl with the ground almonds , glacé cherries, and candied peel. Stir well to combine. Add the fruit mixture to the cake mixture, folding gently, until all the fruits are incorporated into the mixture. Fold gently so as not to "flatten" the cake mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and gently smooth and level the surface.
• Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until dark golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Remove to a rack and let cool, about 40 minutes.
• Remove from the cake pan and place on the rack to cool completely before serving.