Marion Reed S Open Fruit Cake Food

DARK FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter two 9x5-inch loaf pans, line them with foil, then butter the foil. Cream the butter or shortening, add the brown sugar, and beat until light. Add the lemon extract and eggs and beat well. Stir in the molasses and blend. Mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, mace, cloves, and salt; beat into the first mixture. Add the milk and beat until smooth. Stir in the candied fruit, citron, raisins, and pecans, and mix well. Spoon into the pans and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn out onto racks to cool. When completely cool, wrap well and store in an airtight container.
• Brandied Fruit Cake
• Soak two large pieces of cheesecloth in brandy. Wrap each fruit cake in the cheesecloth, covering all sides, then wrap well in foil. Moisten the cheesecloth with additional brandy every few days for about a week. The brandy will flavor the cake and help preserve it too.

SPOON CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Whisk together the sour cream, oil, sugar and egg in a large bowl until smooth, which will take 1 to 2 minutes.
• In a small pitcher or separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda and baking powder. Add to the bowl and mix to combine.
• Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring until just combined and no lumps of flour remain.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Put to one side while you make the frosting.
• For the gooey chocolate frosting: Combine the milk, chocolate and butter in a saucepot over medium-low heat. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour the frosting over the still-warm cake and serve immediately, eating with spoons straight from the pan.

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.

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.

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.

MOM'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250-275 degrees.
• Batter will make about 15 lbs. Prepare pans according to chart below. Grease and line pans with brown paper, waxed paper, or parchment. Grease again. Cut paper about 1 inch taller than pans. Fill pans a little over half full with batter. If you have room in the oven, put a pan with some hot water in it in the bottom, to keep the cakes moist. Enjoy!
• Pan sizes and baking chart:
• 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan: 6 1/2 cups batter, bake for 3 hours
• 10" tube pan: 2 1/2 quarts batter, bake for 3 hrs 15 mins
• 1 lb. coffee cans: 3 3/4 cups batter, bake for 3 hrs 15 mins
• 9 1/4 oz. tuna cans: 1 cup batter, bake for 1 hour 30 mins
• No.303 (16oz) cans: 1 2/3 cup batter, bake for 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours
• 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 2-inch mini loaf pans: 3/4 cup batter, bake for 1 hour

AUNT MARION'S FRUIT SALAD DESSERT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine fruits; set aside. Whisk sauce ingredients until smooth. Gently fold into fruits. Cover and chill for 3-4 hours before serving.