Archive for the ‘Fruitcakes’ Category

Stained Glass Fruit Cake

1/2 pound figs
1 pound candied pineapple
1 pound candied cherries
2 pounds pecan halves
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Grease and flour one tube or two bread pans. Line with wax paper.

Mix fruits and nuts.

Sift dry ingredients together.

Mix eggs, syrup, sugar and oil. Beat into dry ingredients. Pour over fruit. Stir well. Pack firmly into the pans. Bake at 275 degrees F for 2 1/4 hours or until the top appears dry.

Wrap in a brandy- or rum-soaked cloth. This keeps for one year in the refrigerator if kept fairly damp.

Wesson’s Famous Fruitcake

1 cup Wesson oil
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
4 eggs
2 cups sifted Gold Medal flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1 cup pineapple, apple or orange juice
1 cup more sifted flour
1 cup thinly sliced citron
1 cup chopped candied pineapple
1 1/2 cups whole candied cherries
1 cup seeded raisins
1 cup chopped figs or dates
3 cups coarsely chopped nuts

Heat oven to 275 degrees F.

Combine Wesson oil, sugar and eggs. Beat vigorously with electric mixer for 2 minutes.

Sift 2 cups of the flour with baking powder, salt and spices. Stir into the oil mixture alternately with the fruit juice. Mix the other cup of flour with the fruits and nuts. Pour batter over fruit, mixing thoroughly. Turn into two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans which have been greased and lined with brown paper. Place a pan of water on lower oven rack. Bake cakes 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

For a fancy touch, glaze cakes.

Glaze
Combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon corn syrup and 2 tablespoons water in saucepan. Boil for 2 minutes. Brush over cakes. Decorate with candied fruit.

Little Chocolate-Kahlua Fruitcakes

Source: Christmas with Southern Living 1997

1 cup butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup Kahlua
2 tablespoons Kahlua
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour divided
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 ounces pitted dates whole
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans toasted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup dried apricot halves chopped
Additional Kahlua

Grease five 6 x 3 x 2-inch loaf pans. Line bottoms of loaf pans with wax paper; set aside.

Melt butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Stir in coffee granules. Remove mixture from heat and let cool 15 minutes.

Pour into a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar. Add egg yolks, stirring well. Add 2 tablespoons Kahlua and vanilla extract; stir well.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, soda, and salt; add to chocolate mixture. Combine dates next 3 ingredients; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup flour, tossing to coat. Stir fruit mixture into batter.

Beat egg whites at high speed of an electric mixer until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pans, and brush loaves with remaining 1/4 cup Kahlua. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Wrap fruitcakes in Kahlua-soaked cheesecloth. Store in an airtight container in a cool place at least 1 week before serving. Pour a small amount of Kahlua over each loaf every week up to 1 month. To serve, slice with an electric knife.

Yield: 5 loaves

Per serving: 1473 Calories; 75g Fat (44% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 198g Carbohydrate; 208mg Cholesterol; 667mg Sodium

Pina Colada Fruitcake

1 pound dates, chopped
1 pound glazed cherries, halved
2 pounds pecans, chopped
1/2 pound shredded coconut
1 pound glazed pineapple, cut into pieces
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon rum extract

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Grease three 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

Mix dates, cherries, pecans, coconut and pineapple in a large bowl. Add milk and rum extract, continuing to mix. Pack very tightly into prepared pans. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven when a fork or wooden pick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Store in foil in refrigerator.

Walnut Coconut Cream Fruitcake

1 cup candied cherries, halved
1 (4 ounce) container candied pineapple slices, cut
    into thin (about 1/8-inch) wedges
1 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons brandy
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 cup sweetened cream of coconut (canned)
2 cups coarsely broken walnuts

In large bowl stir together cherries, pineapple slices, raisins and brandy; let stand an hour or longer.

On wax paper, or in small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract; Beat in egg yolks until blended. Stir in lemon rind. Add 1/3 of flour mixture and 1/2 of coconut cream and stir until smooth. Repeat stir remaining flour until smooth.

Beat egg whites until stiff; fold in to batter. Pour over fruit mixture, then stir in walnuts. Spoon into well buttered pans and spread to smooth. Set a shallow pan of hot water on lowest oven rack or floor of oven. Bake at 300 degrees F on rack below center of oven until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean – 2 to 2 1/2 hours for 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch pan, or 1 1/2 to 2 hours for small pans. Cool on racks. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator.

This fruitcake slices beautifully, and tastes good when cold.

Makes 2 large loaves or 5 small loaves.