Molasses Fruitcake Recipes

OLD TIME MOLASSES FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans and line with a double thickness of greased parchment paper.
• Combine 1/4 cup flour with raisins, cherries and peel.
• Combine 1 1/4 cups with soda, salt and spices.
• Cream shortening and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses and vanilla; mix well.
• Blend dry ingredients into wet ingredients; fold in fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
• Bake until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 2 hours.
• Cool in pans on a rack. Wrap cakes when completely cooled. Allow cakes to season for 4 - 6 weeks.

MOLASSES FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Butter 2 9x5 loaf pans.
• Line them with foil and butter again.
• Mix spices with the flour and take a small amount and dust the foil lined pans with it.
• Set pans aside.
• Take baking soda and add to the flour and spice mixture.
• Set aside.
• Cream butter then add brown sugar to it.
• Cream again until sugar is incorporated.
• Add lemon extract and eggs and beat well.
• Add applesauce and molasses and blend.
• Add flour/spice mixture and beat well.
• Stir in candied fruit, citron, raisins and pecan.
• Spoon into pans and cover tops with walnut meats.
• Bake for 1- 1 1/4 hours (until toothpick comes out clean).
• Let set for 7-10 minutes then turn out on racks and cool.
• When completely cooled, wrap well and store in an airtight container.
• *If you want brandied fruitcake: soak 2 pieces of cheesecloth in brandy.
• Wrap fruitcake up with cheesecloth then wrap tightly with foil.
• Open up every other day for a week and add additional brandy.
• Serve away from flames.

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.

DARK FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine the orange juice, molasses and raisins in a saucepan; heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
• Stir in candied fruits and peels.
• Cream margarine and sugar. Blend in 3 eggs, one at a time. Sift together flour, soda and spices. Blend them into creamed mixture. Stir in fruit and peel mixture; add nuts.
• Grease and flour 2 bread pans or tube pan and fill 2/3 full of batter.
• Bake in slow 275F oven for abotu 2 1/4 hours. Insert toothpick ; if dry, cake is cooked.
• Cool in pans. Remove and wrap in plastic wrap or foil. Store in cooled place several weeks.
• Another excellent method of storage, is to wrap in brandy soaked cheesecloth, then wrap in plastic wrap, and then in foil. Store in a cool dry place for several weeks, Keep checking to make sure there is still a little moisture in the cheesecloth, not wet, just a little damp. it gives your fruitcake an excellent flavor!

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.

MRS. MAUS'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 275 degrees. Butter five 6-by-2-inch round cake pans. Butter five strips of 18-by-3-inch parchment paper to form a collar for each pan.
• Cream butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in molasses and 2 cups of candied fruit, blending well. Remove batter to a large bowl and add one-quarter of the nuts. Sift in flour and allspice 1 cup at a time, mixing well between additions. Add remaining candied fruit and nuts, stirring with a spoon. Divide batter evenly among pans; bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. While still warm, brush with 1/3 cup brandy mixed with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let cool on wire rack.
• Gently remove cakes from pans and remove paper collars. Decorate cakes with glaceed fruits and candied cherries and kumquats. Heat apricot jam and remaining 1/3 cup brandy in a small saucepan over medium heat. Strain and brush over fruits to hold in place.

NAN'S BEST DARK FRUITCAKE:

Steps:

• With 3/4 cup of the dark rum, pour over chopped fruit and nuts. Cover and let soak for at least 48 hours. The fruit should be stirred once a day or so.
• Keep remaining rum for after baking directions -- see below.
• Stir flour, salt, baking soda and spices together Set aside.
• In separate bowl, Cream shortening and brown sugar together till fluffy.
• Add eggs and beat one at a time.
• Add molasses, jam and mix well.
• Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in fruit.
• Prepare your round fruit cake pan by oiling and line pan with paper. Oil and flour again lightly.
• Ensure the top of the paper is about 1 inch or so above the top of the pan.
• Fill prepared pans 2/3 full.
• Bake in a slow oven 300°F for 2 hours or so.
• Place a shallow pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven during baking. This will ensure the cake stays moist. Remove this pan of water during the last hour of baking.
• Cool completely before removing paper.
• Storing and mellowing of fruit Cake: Wrap a cheese cloth that has been soaked in the remaining 1/4 cup of rum over the cake, covering it completely.
• Next wrap the cake and cheesecloth in aluminum foil wrap.
• Place in a cool place. Taste of cake is best when stored for 4 weeks or so! I've often brushed egg white over the cake, rolled out almond paste and laid it over the top and sides of cake. I then ice it. Everyone raves! NOTE: I've often doubled the recipe for a larger cake.