Heirloomfruitcake Recipes

HEIRLOOM FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Finely chop candied fruits and pecans.
• Snip dates and raisins into small pieces with kitchen shears dipped in hot water occasionally to prevent stickiness.
• Combine fruit and nuts in a bowl, add 2 or 3 T flour and toss to mix well.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon.
• Set aside.
• Cream butter until fluffy, then add brown sugar and gradually beat until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs two at a time, then stir in vanilla, lemon juice, and orange juice.
• Mix jelly and rum/juice until smooth.
• Add alternately to batter with dry ingredients.
• Pour batter over fruit and mix throughly, using a wooden spoon or your hands.
• Pour batter into 2 greased and lined loaf pans or 1 ten-inch tube pan.
• Bake at 275 F for 3 1/2 hours.
• Paint generously with grape juice/brandy and wrap in cheesecloth and foil, keeping refrigerated until Christmas time.
• Paint on more juice once or twice per week.

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.

THE BEST FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, currants, apricots, figs, prunes, dates, walnuts, pecans, orange zest, lemon zest, candied ginger, pumpkin pie spice and cloves in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add 1 cup of the brandy, orange liqueur and molasses and stir to coat. Cover and set aside to macerate overnight. (Alternatively, cover the bowl and microwave 2 minutes, or until very hot. Leave covered and let sit until almost all the liquid has been absorbed into the fruit and nuts, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and line each with 2 pieces of parchment, one lengthwise and one crosswise, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the soaked fruit mixture and toss to coat. Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium-low and beat in the flour mixture until the batter is blended and smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until all the fruit is coated in batter.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, the tops spring back slightly when pressed and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove each cake from its pan using the parchment overhang and place on the rack to cool completely.
• To store, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic and then foil. The wrapped fruitcakes can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

HEIRLOOM FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• 1. Combine crumbled mincemeat and water in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until until lumps are broken up. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• 2. Preheat oven to 300 F. Grease bottom and sides of a 9"x5" loaf pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper cut to fit and sprayed with cooking spray.
• 3. Sift flour and baking soda together.
• 4. Combine eggs, condensed milk, cooled mincemeat, fruit, and nuts in a mixing bowl. Fold in flour mixture.
• 5. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Set pan on a rack to cool.
• 6. When cake is cooled, turn out and remove paper.