Cherry Date Fruitcake Recipes

CHERRY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Using a tube pan (line bottom with two greased layers of greased waxed paper, and grease sides of pan); or using two loaf pans or eight mini-loaf pans (line bottom/sides with two greased layers of waxed paper). Be generous with shortening on the layer next to the cake.
• Cut pineapple, red and green cherries in half; cut dates in 3 pieces.Using hands, combine pineapple, cherries, dates, and pecans in a large bowl. Add sugar, mix well, and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Beat eggs& vanilla until light and fluffy; pour over fruit and nut mixture. Using hands, mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour on above mixture until"syrupy", again, using hands.
• Preheat oven to 275°F Add cake mixture evenly to pans and pack down tightly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, approximately 90 minutes for a tube pan; 1 1/4 hr for 2 loaf pans; and check starting after an hour for mini-loaf pans.
• Remove cake (s) from oven, cool slightly, and remove waxed paper while still warm.

DATE AND NUT CAKE WITH CHERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter a 9" square cake pan.
• Put dates, butter and baking soda in a bowl. Carefully pour boiling water over the dates; let cool.
• Meanwhile, mix flour and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix egg and vanilla.
• When the date mixture is cool, stir in egg mixture and then stir in flour mixture.
• Stir in nuts and cherries.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan; bake for about 25-30 minutes.

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.

DATE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Mix dates, walnuts and cherries.
• Sift together flour, salt and baking powder, and mix with the fruit mixture. Add sugar and mix.
• Beat 4 egg yolks until thick and mix thoroughly through cake mix. Add vanilla.
• Beat egg whites until stiff and dry and fold into mixture.
• Line 2 loaf pans with wax paper, pour in mix and bake 1 hr at 350 degrees, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Oven temperatures vary. Do not overbake if you have a hot oven.

CHERRY WALNUT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Lightly spray or wipe four 3x6x2 inch loaf pans with vegetable oil. (I used muffin cups which worked out great).
• In a large bowl, combine cherries, dates, and 1/2 cup sherry; set aside for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a separate large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add the nuts. Add the egg and egg whites. Mix well.
• Stir the flour mixture into the fruit mixture. Place 1 cup of batter into each loaf pan.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and immediately pour the remaining sherry over the loaves.
• Keep in a tin, well wrapped with plastic wrap, for up to two weeks.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHERRY FRUITCAKE LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 F and have ready a greased 9x5" loaf pan.
• Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until well combined.
• In another large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix well.
• Add nuts, dates or raisins, 1 cup cherry halves,& the chocolate chips and stir gently to combine.
• Pour into a greased 9x5" loaf pan(mixture will be very thick).
• Garnish top with a row of cherry halves down the center of the batter- press gently so they stick.
• Bake in a preheated 325 F oven for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean (there will be streaks of melted chocolate but not gobs of beige batter) - DO NOT OVERBAKE or it will be as hard as a rock.
• Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely.
• Usually I slice the loaf after it has cooled and seal it in a plastic zip-top bag, which helps keep it from hardening up.

DATE NUT BREAD/FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Cut dates and soak in boiling water about 15 minutes.
• Do not use a miker - put all ingredients into bowl, add dates and water.
• Mix thouroughly,.
• Spray pans with cooking spray. This can also be make as cupcakes(do not spray).
• Fill pans 1/3 full or cupcakes a little over half.
• Bake at 350 until bread will bounce back from touch. About 35 minutes.
• If cupcakes about 15 - 18 minutes.
• 2 Breads, or 2 dz. cupcakes.
• Fruit Cakes.
• Double date bread mix and add Fruit Cake Mix, top with Cherries.
• Bake as Date Break or cupcakes.
• 4 Breads, or 4 dz cupcakes.