Mrs Mackinnons Christmas Fruitcake Food

MRS. MACKINNON'S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Mix first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Add 1/2 cup rum; bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Remove from heat. Mix in grated orange and lemon peels, syrup, and baking soda. Let stand until fruit mixture absorbs liquid, stirring often, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan, then line bottom and sides of pan with parchment; butter parchment. Sift both flours and salt into medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture; beat until just blended. Stir in fruit mixture. Transfer batter to pan. Cover pan with foil.
• Bake cake 2 hours. Reduce oven temperature to 275°F; continue to bake covered until tester inserted into center comes out clean but slightly moist, about 30 minutes longer. Transfer to rack; remove foil. Pierce top of cake all over with skewer. Drizzle 6 tablespoons rum very gradually over cake. Cool completely in pan. Cut around pan sides to loosen; remove pan sides. (Can be made 3 weeks ahead. Wrap in foil; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

FESTIVE FRUITCAKES

Steps:

• Line three 8x4-in. loaf pans with foil and grease the foil; set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs and water. Stir in the bread mixes, candied fruit, pecans and raisins. Pour into prepared pans. , Bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Carefully remove foil. Wrap in plastic or foil. Store in the refrigerator for several days to mellow. Cut with a serrated knife.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, combine the nuts, dates and cherries. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; add to nut mixture, stirring until nuts and fruit are well coated. , In a small bowl, beat eggs until foamy; stir in vanilla. Fold into nut mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased parchment-lined 9x5-in. loaf pan. , Bake at 300° for 1-3/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

MRS. MAUS'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 275 degrees. Butter five 6-by-2-inch round cake pans. Butter five strips of 18-by-3-inch parchment paper to form a collar for each pan.
• Cream butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in molasses and 2 cups of candied fruit, blending well. Remove batter to a large bowl and add one-quarter of the nuts. Sift in flour and allspice 1 cup at a time, mixing well between additions. Add remaining candied fruit and nuts, stirring with a spoon. Divide batter evenly among pans; bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. While still warm, brush with 1/3 cup brandy mixed with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let cool on wire rack.
• Gently remove cakes from pans and remove paper collars. Decorate cakes with glaceed fruits and candied cherries and kumquats. Heat apricot jam and remaining 1/3 cup brandy in a small saucepan over medium heat. Strain and brush over fruits to hold in place.

MRS. WALKER'S FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch fluted tube pan, such as a Bundt®, with cooking spray.
• Mix the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, lemon pudding mix, lemon extract, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until smooth, and stir in candied cherries, pineapple, pecans, and dried cranberries. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a cake plate to finish cooling. Store in a covered container to help retain moisture.

MOM'S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• The day before: chop dates into small pieces and put in a glass bowl. Add rum. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 8 hours, or overnight, to absorb the rum. You can leave this step out if you want but I find it makes the dates more delicious and the cookies have more flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Dice candied cherries and pineapple into small pieces and place in a very large bowl; I use the top of my cake carrier. Add pecans, followed by dates. Add 1 cup flour. Toss well to coat all of the pieces and break them up so they are not sticking together.
• Whisk baking soda into the milk and let it dissolve.
• Mix shortening into the fruit. Add remaining flour, sugar, eggs, orange juice, nutmeg, salt, and milk-baking soda mixture. Mix together with your hands just until you no longer see the flour. Try not to overmix. The batter will be very dense.
• Use a small ice cream scoop or two teaspoons to drop the cookies onto the prepared pans, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire cooling racks.