Spiced Fruitcake Bars Food

FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; butter paper, and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat brandy until simmering. Remove from heat, and stir in fruit; cool to room temperature. Toss brandied fruit with 1 cup flour mixture; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; mix in vanilla. With mixer on low, add remaining flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in fruit mixture; transfer batter to prepared pan, and smooth top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan for 1 hour. Using paper overhang, lift out of pan; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (still on paper). Invert fruitcake, and peel off paper; flip upright, and cut into 24 diamonds with a serrated knife. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla. Add flour and walnuts; mix well. Spread evenly into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with pineapple, cherries and dates; press lightly into dough. , Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Beat eggs with a mixer until they are golden yellow and doubled in volume - 2 or 3 minutes.
• Add in 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Take 2 tablespoons of flour mixture and stir in with candied fruit, nuts and currants, to keep fruit from clumping in the batter.
• Add the rest of the flour mix to the eggs and sugar.
• Fold fruit and nuts into batter.
• Spoon batter into a well greased 11" by 7" pan.
• Some years I use parchment paper instead.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Mix together rum and second cup of powdered sugar to make a glaze.
• Spread the icing onto the bars about 5 minutes after they've come out of the oven.
• Let bars cool and cut into bars.

SPICED FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive container (glass, ceramic, or plastic), combine dried fruits, honey, and Cognac; let macerate at room temperature 2 days or up to 2 weeks, covered with plastic wrap.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Generously butter and flour two 8-inch square (or round) pans; tap out excess flour. Whisk to combine flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl. Stir in walnuts.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down side of bowl as needed. Transfer to a large bowl. Using a flexible spatula, fold in flour-nut mixture and drained fruit mixture; stir to evenly distribute fruits and nuts.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; use an offset spatula to smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 2 to 2 1/4 hours. Transfer pans to wire rack to cool completely. Invert cakes onto racks to unmold. Invert again, top sides up. (Cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 months.)
• Using a serrated knife, cut cake into thirds. Slice each third into 1-inch-thick slices. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

SPICY HERMIT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the egg, scrape down the bowl, then mix in the molasses.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Mix in the raisins and crystallized ginger. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured board, form it into a disk with lightly floured hands, and cut it in half. Roll each half into a log 12 inches long and place them 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes; the logs will still be soft in the center.
• Meanwhile, whisk the confectioners' sugar with 5 to 6 teaspoons rum to make a pourable glaze. While the logs are still warm, drizzle the glaze back and forth across the logs with a teaspoon and sprinkle them with the lemon zest. Allow to cool. Cut each log crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide bars.

NO-BAKE SPICED FRUITCAKE BALLS

Steps:

• Combine the dried dates, figs and cranberries in a medium microwave-safe bowl; add 2 tablespoons rum and the butter. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring, until the dried fruit is softened and the butter is melted, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Toast the pecans in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Combine the graham crackers, crystallized ginger, candied lemon peel, molasses, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a food processor. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon rum, the pecans and the dried-fruit mixture (with any liquid from the bowl). Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and holds together when squeezed. (If the mixture is dry, add a little water just until it holds together.)
• Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into balls and arrange on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Put the sanding sugar on a plate. Roll the balls in the sugar to coat.

EASY FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla and orange zest until blended. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture until well combined. Stir in walnuts and the reserved fruit mixture., Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

BABY FOOD CAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
• In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and oil. Beat until smooth. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the baby food. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into bars.

FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Sift together flour & soda.
• Combine with remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Spread batter in a greased 10x15" jelly roll pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until center tests done with a toothpick.
• Cool on rack before cutting into 1x1 1/2" squares.

FESTIVE FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. In large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, the brown sugar, butter, orange peel, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and egg with spoon.
• In medium bowl, mix 1/4 cup flour, the cherries, dates and pecans; stir into brown sugar mixture. Spread in pan.
• Bake about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat all Orange Glaze ingredients over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly. Drizzle cooled bars with glaze. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 3 rows.