Old Fashioned Light Fruitcake Food

CASSANDRA'S "LIGHT" FRUITCAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the mixed dried fruit (including pineapple and currants) and crystallized ginger in a large bowl. Stir together with 1 cup brandy or bourbon; cover and set the mixture aside for 2 hours to infuse the dried fruit.
• Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Grease a tube pan with cooking spray. Meanwhile, cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl, and beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a large wooden spoon or spatula, stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until thoroughly combined (do not beat with a mixer).
• Stir in the soaked fruit mixture and chopped pecans. The mixture will be thick.
• Scrape the mixture into the prepared tube pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the fruitcake comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 45 minutes.
• Soak a layer of cheesecloth in enough brandy or bourbon to thoroughly moisten (about 1/2 cup). Wrap the fruitcake in the cheesecloth, and then wrap it in aluminum foil. Set aside to rest for at least 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to soak in.

GRANDMA BETTIE'S LIGHT FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line two loaf pans with parchment paper.
• Coat cherries, raisins, almonds, and pineapple with 1 cup flour.
• Beat sugar, butter, and eggs together until creamy. Sift remaining flour with baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture; stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Fold in the fruit and almond mixture. Spoon batter into the prepared pans and spread evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Wrap cakes tightly and let age in a cool place for 2 to 4 weeks.

LIGHT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine the raisins, cherries, glazed pineapple, mixed glazed fruit, and citron. Mix well. Stir in the brandy to coat the fruit. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand for about 24 hours to macerate the fruit, stirring occasionally. When ready to mix up the cake, add the coconut and lemon and orange rind. Stir well.
• Prepare 8-inch square fruitcake pan that is 3 inches deep and has a removable bottom: Lightly spray the bottom and sides of the pan with cooking spray. Line the pan (bottom and sides), with brown paper or double thickness of parchment paper. Lightly spray the paper.
• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• In large bowl of stand mixer and using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until mixture is light and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure ingredients are all incorporated. Beat 1 additional minute. Beat in the vanilla, almond, and lemon flavorings. Stir in the drained crushed pineapple.
• Sift together 2¾ cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In measuring cup or small bowl, combine the orange and lemon juices along with the reserved ¼ cup of pineapple juice.
• Add the dry and wet ingredients to the beaten butter and sugar mixture in three additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Transfer batter to a very large bowl.
• Sprinkle reserved cup of flour over the macerated fruit and toss ingredients lightly and quickly. Gently fold the fruit mixture into the batter.
• In clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.
• Transfer batter by large spoonfuls into the prepared baking pan. Use a knife to evenly spread the batter in the pan, smoothing the top. Add a few cherries as decorations to the top of the cake, if desired.
• Place small pan of hot water on the lower rack in the oven. Place fruitcake in center of middle rack and bake for approximately 5 - 5¼ hours or until cake is firm to the touch and cake tester inserted into centre of cake comes out clean. After about an hour or so of baking, loosely tent cake with tin foil to prevent it from browning too much. Remove cake from oven and place on rack. Let cake cool in pan for about 40 minutes before carefully removing from pan by inverting it on a tea towel and removing the paper. Carefully turn the cake top side up on to a wire cooling rack.
• Let cake cool completely before brushing well with brandy and wrapping in brandy-soaked cheesecloth, followed by plastic wrap and tin foil. Store in a sealed plastic bag in a cool, dry area. Remove wrapping and brush cake top and sides with brandy once a week for 2-3 weeks as the cake "ages" before cutting and serving.

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.

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.

OLD FASHION FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Generously grease (using solid vegetable shortening) and flour ten (1-pound) loaf pans. Place a pan of water on the lowest rack in the oven.
• In a large bowl, combine candied cherries, raisins, mixed candied fruits, nuts and 2 cups flour; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, brown sugar, and eggs.
• In another large bowl, combine the 4 cups flour, baking powder, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. Add dry ingredients, alternately with orange juice, to the egg mixture, beating after each addition until well blended. Pour prepared batter over the candied fruit/nut mixture, mixing well. Pour into prepared loaf pans.
• Bake the fruitcakes approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Test for doneness by placing a metal/wooden skewer in center of cake. If it comes out clean, cake is done. Be careful not to over bake. Remove from oven and let the fruitcakes completely cool in the baking pans.