German Fruitcake Food

GERMAN FRUIT CAKE BOTTOM

Steps:

• Grease pan. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
• Cream butter, sugar and vanilla sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beat until light in color.
• Mix flour, salt and baking powder. Add half of flour, beat until just blended. Add 3 tbs milk, just blend. Add rest of flour, just blend.
• Batter should drop slowly from a spoon, forming long tips. If too firm add another tbs milk.
• Spread batter evenly in pan.
• Bake in lower third of oven 18-22 minutes until golden yellow. Let cool in form for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Use immediately or store tightly wrapped for 24 hours or freeze.

GRANDMA'S MOLASSES FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Grease and flour three 9x5-in. loaf pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Combine currants, raisins, walnuts, candied citron and 1/4 cup flour. Toss to coat; set aside., Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. In another bowl, whisk baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and remaining flour; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee. Stir into currant mixture and mix well., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 days to blend flavors. Slice and bring to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

GERMAN FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar together.
• Separate eggs and add the yolks to the butter, beating well.
• Sift together the flour and the spices.
• Mix the buttermilk and baking soda together, then add some to the butter mixture,alternating with the flour mixture, until all is incorporated.
• Add the preserves and the nuts, stirring gently.
• Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl with clean beaters until stiff peaks form, then fold gently into the batter.
• Scrape into a large greased& floured Bundt pan or tube pan and bake at 350 F preheated for 1 1/2 hours or until cake tests done.
• Let cool before removing from pan.

GERMAN FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Mix Buttermilk with Baking soda and set aside. Cream butter (or Margarine), Sugar, & eggs until light, Sift dry ingredients together and add creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and baking soda mixture. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Bake in two 9X5X3 pans or a large tube (or bunt) pan for 1.5 hrs. Cool in pan for 15 mins before removing.
• 2. Personal note: For added delight you may lightly sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar or serve the cake with whipped topping or any left over preserves. The preserves are what makes the difference the candied fruit is what makes a "Fake fruitcake" That candied fruit is nothing but unformed gummy bears in my opinion, nothing against gummy bears but you don't want them in a cake.

KATE'S RAISIN, DATE, NUT STOLLEN (YEAST FREE GERMAN FRUITCAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until coarse crumbs form.
• In a separate bowl, mash cottage cheese, egg, lemon zest, orange zest, and vanilla together until cottage cheese curds are smooth (I do this with a potato masher). Add raisins, dates, and almonds and stir until combined. Add flour mixture and stir with hand just until dough is formed. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 10 times.
• Form into an 8 by 10 inch oval. Pat dough to an even thickness for even baking. Place stollen on a greased parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Bake at 350F degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hr 15 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cover with aluminum foil after 45 minutes of baking to prevent burning. Note: Stollen burns easily.
• Remove stollen from the oven but leave it on the baking sheet. Brush hot stollen with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Immediately, dust the stollen thoroughly with confectioner's sugar. Place baking sheet with stollen on wire rack to cool. When cool, discard parchment paper. Wrap stollen in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and allow to set for 2 days at room temperature to combine flavors before cutting or consuming. (Setting for 2 days makes the loaf moister and tastier). Keeps for 1 week at room temperature or longer if refrigerated. Freezes well.