Brandy Aged Fruitcake Recipes

THE FANNY FARMER DARK FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees F.
• Butter two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
• Line the pans with foil, then butter the foil.
• Cream the butter or shortening.
• Add in brown sugar; beat until light.
• Add in lemon extract and eggs and beat well.
• Stir in molasses and blend to combine.
• In a small bowl combine the flour with baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, mace, cloves and salt; beat into the creamed mixture until combined.
• Add in milk; beat until combined.
• Stir in the candied fruit, candied cherries, candied citron, dates or raisins and nuts; mix well.
• Transfer/divide the batter between the two pans.
• Bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until the loaves test done.
• Turn out onto racks to cool.
• When completely cooled wrap well and store in an airtight container.
• BRANDIED FRUIT CAKE OPTION; 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.

RICH BRANDY CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• The night before you cook this place all the fruit fruit peel and nuts into a bowl and soak for 12 hours in the brandy and orange juice; Stir every time you go into the kitchen!
• pre-heat oven to 275ºF/140ºC.
• Grease and line with greaseproof paper an 8 inch/20cm round cake tin.
• Sift the flour salt and spices into a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixtures fluffy.
• Beat the eggs and add them a little at a time.
• Fold in the flour and spices.
• Stir in the fruit that has been soaking along with any excess liquid.
• Mix in the treacle.
• Spoon into the cake tin and spread out evenly.
• Cover the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with a small hole in the top.
• Bake the cake on the lower shelf for 4& 1/4- 3/4 hours.
• When the cake is cold wrap in double greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.
• Feed the cake every two days for the first 2 weeks with a spoonful of brandy and/or orange juice and/or glacè cherry syrup.
• First poke little holes in the cake with a knitting needle or a skewer.
• Come Christmas you will have a very very rich fruit cake.
• Use royal icing to ice it or almond paste and royal icing, I don't like almond paste!

OLD FASHIONED LIGHT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after additions; stir in brandy flavoring. Combine dry ingredients, pecans, candied fruit, and raisins; mix well. Add fruit to creamed mixture, blending well.
• Spoon batter into a well-greased 10-inch tube pan or two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans lined with brown paper. Bake at 275F for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Brush top with honey 30 minutes before cake is done; then decorate with additional candied fruit and nuts, if desired. Remove from oven when cake tests done; when completely cool, wrap cake tightly in cheesecloth , and then in aluminum foil, or an airtight container.

UNCLE BILL'S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE WITH BRANDY

Steps:

• Remove pineapple rings from syrup.
• DO NOT USE SYRUP IN CAKE.
• Cut both red and green pineapple rings into chunks (about 6 chunks of each ring.) In a large mixing bowl, add red and green pineapple chunks, pecans, almonds, red and green maraschino cherries, mixed peel and raisins and mix well.
• Add the entire bottle of Brandy and mix well.
• Cover the bowl tightly with food film wrap and let stand overnight.
• During this marinate, mix at least two times.
• THE NEXT DAY.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• Sift 3/4 cup of flour over marinated fruit and mix well to coat.
• Now sift an additional 1/2 cup flour over fruit and mix well again.
• In a mixing bowl cream butter; set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs with 2 tablespoons of milk.
• Add baking soda and almond extract to the beaten eggs and mix well.
• Add remainder of 1 1/2 cups of flour over the fruit and mix well.
• Add creamed butter and egg mixture over fruit and mix well.
• Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, mace and cinnamon and mix very well.
• Prepare 3 bread pans (4" x 8" x 3" deep) with parchment paper (or brown paper.) Pour cake mixture equally into each pan to about 3/4" below top of pan.
• The cakes should be between 2" and 2 1/2" in thickness.
• Bake in preheated 275 F oven for 4 to 5 hours on the middle rack.
• If top of cake starts to brown too much, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
• Test cake for doneness with a wooden testing stick.
• If stick comes out dry, the cakes are done.
• Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pans.
• When cooled, remove from pans and place on metal racks for about 3 hours.
• Remove the brown paper carefully and discard.
• Baste the tops of each cake with Apricot Brandy or if desired with 151 Overproof Rum.
• Wrap each cake in about 4 thicknesses of cheese cloth.
• Now wrap each cake with 2 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Store the cakes in a cool place for at least 1 month before using (this is when they are best.) A few days before serving, unwrap the top of the foil and baste the cake through the cheesecloth with brandy or rum.
• Re-wrap and let sit for a few days.
• This cake freezes very well.