Moms Holiday Rush Fruitcake Recipes

GRANMAMA'S UNCOOKED (NO BAKE, NO COOK) FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs.
• Granmama's recipe calls for "puffed" raisins. To puff them, soak in hot water for 30 minutes.
• Chop the nuts; drain and cut cherries in half (if they are whole).
• Melt marshmallows in milk.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Pack into regular sized loaf pan.
• Refrigerated overnight and cut with a hot knife.
• Coconut is an optional ingredient.
• Cook time is refrigeration time.

" CAN'T FAIL" HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Butter a 9 inch springform pan.
• Line with wax paper.
• Butter again.
• Sift flour and baking soda.
• Combine eggs, mincemeat, sweetened condensed milk, chopped walnuts and candied fruit.
• Fold in dry ingredients.
• Pour into pan.
• Bake in 300°F oven for 2 hours, until center springs back and top is golden.
• Cool thoroughly.
• Turn out and remove wax paper.
• Refrigerate, well wrapped, at least 24 hours before decorating, slicing and serving.

HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Pour bourbon over combined fruits and nuts, cover and let stand for 2-3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• Measure remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
• Stir a few times to incorporate, then beat on high for 3 minutes.
• Stir in drained fruit mixture.
• Keep the leftover bourbon for brushing the cake.
• Spread into evenly greased 12-cup fluted or angel food pan or 2 greased 6 cup fluted pans.
• Press mixture firmly into pan.
• Bake in preheated oven at 275°F for 3-3 1/2 hours (time for the 12 c pan), or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
• Invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.
• Wrap tightly in Saran wrap and store dark and cool.
• If you like, brush with remaining bourbon once a week until Xmas.

FRUITIFUL NO-BAKE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Fold the grape juice into the whipped cream in a bowl. Fold in the marshmallows. Set aside for flavors to blend.
• Cover the raisins and currants with boiling water in a shallow bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes; drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Process the graham crackers in a food processor until they're nearly dust. Combine with the cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix well. Add the dates, pecans, figs, pineapple, 3/4 cup cherries, citron and orange zest and mix well. Add the raisins and currants and mix well.
• Fold in the marshmallow mixture. Fold in the brandy.
• Press the mixture into a greased bundt pan. Unmold onto waxed paper and press candied cherries onto the top.
• Store in a sealed tin for 3 to 4 weeks before serving.

NO BAKE FRUITCAKE BY PAULA DEEN

Steps:

• Spray 10 mini loaf pans with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the milk and marshmallow together over low heat.
• Stir constantly, because condensed milk scorches easily, until the marshmallows are melted.
• Remove the mixture from the heat.
• Combine the cracker crumbs, pecans, coconut, dates and cherries in a large bowl.
• Add the bourbon to the milk mixture and pour over the crumb mixture.
• Mix well with your hands.
• Scoop the mixture into the prepared pans and press down firmly to mold into shape.
• Refrigerate for 2 days.

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.

MOM'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250-275 degrees.
• Batter will make about 15 lbs. Prepare pans according to chart below. Grease and line pans with brown paper, waxed paper, or parchment. Grease again. Cut paper about 1 inch taller than pans. Fill pans a little over half full with batter. If you have room in the oven, put a pan with some hot water in it in the bottom, to keep the cakes moist. Enjoy!
• Pan sizes and baking chart:
• 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan: 6 1/2 cups batter, bake for 3 hours
• 10" tube pan: 2 1/2 quarts batter, bake for 3 hrs 15 mins
• 1 lb. coffee cans: 3 3/4 cups batter, bake for 3 hrs 15 mins
• 9 1/4 oz. tuna cans: 1 cup batter, bake for 1 hour 30 mins
• No.303 (16oz) cans: 1 2/3 cup batter, bake for 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours
• 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 2-inch mini loaf pans: 3/4 cup batter, bake for 1 hour

MOM'S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• The day before: chop dates into small pieces and put in a glass bowl. Add rum. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 8 hours, or overnight, to absorb the rum. You can leave this step out if you want but I find it makes the dates more delicious and the cookies have more flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Dice candied cherries and pineapple into small pieces and place in a very large bowl; I use the top of my cake carrier. Add pecans, followed by dates. Add 1 cup flour. Toss well to coat all of the pieces and break them up so they are not sticking together.
• Whisk baking soda into the milk and let it dissolve.
• Mix shortening into the fruit. Add remaining flour, sugar, eggs, orange juice, nutmeg, salt, and milk-baking soda mixture. Mix together with your hands just until you no longer see the flour. Try not to overmix. The batter will be very dense.
• Use a small ice cream scoop or two teaspoons to drop the cookies onto the prepared pans, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire cooling racks.

BOUNTIFUL NO-BAKE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Read the entire recipe before beginning. Prep *all* ingredients and have *every* bowl, pan, and tool you'll need ready before beginning.
• I leave all the fruits whole; it saves a lot of prep time and they're soft enough that it doesn't make the finished cake any harder to slice. Leaving them whole makes for gorgeous slices with an almost stained-glass look, too.
• Buying packaged fruits and nuts gets very expensive; buying only the needed amounts in the bulk section saves a LOT of money. You can change the kinds and proportions of the fruits, just don't exceed 36 ounces.
• Tools needed:
• One large bowl of any kind.
• One very large bowl that can be microwaved.
• Ten mini loaf pans, or a couple of large baking sheets if you prefer to make logs.
• Non-stick cooking spray.
• Large cooking spoon with a good strong handle.
• Plastic wrap.
• Spray the loaf pans or baking sheet with non-stick spray.
• Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. You can put them in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin (or wine bottle, drinking glass, unopened can of veggies, or whatever you have on hand), but if you have a food processor it's far, far faster and easier.
• In a large bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, nuts, and fruits. Mix well while they're dry so everything is well distributed. Take a moment to check again that you have *everything* else ready before proceeding.
• Place the marshmallows in a very large microwaveable bowl, and drizzle the condensed milk over them. No need to stir yet. Microwave, stopping to stir as the mixture softens and melts. Time will vary so keep an eye on it as you go. Once all the marshmallows have melted, stir until the mixture is very smooth and soft.
• *While the mixture is still hot* immediately pour the dry ingredients into it (dry into wet, not wet into dry) then work them together with the large cooking spoon. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so all the dry mix is incorporated, and work as quickly as you can because the dough gets stiffer and harder as it cools.
• For loaves, press the dough into the sprayed pans and garnish with a few halved maraschino cherries if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two days before removing from pans, then individually wrap with plastic wrap. NOTE: using a large loaf pan produces a cake that's extremely difficult to slice. I'll never- ever- do that again!
• For logs, form into logs two inches thick and however long you wish. Arrange on sprayed baking sheets, without the logs touching each other. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two days before individually wrapping with plastic wrap.
• Slice and enjoy, or share. Keep refrigerated.

MOM'S HOLIDAY RUSH FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Line mold or cake pan with wax paper or foil.
• In LARGE bowl mix together graham cracker crumbs, spices,fruit and nuts.
• Combine Evaporated milk& juice,Add to the crumb mixture.
• Stir and Knead untill all of the crumbs are moistened.
• (if need add more milk) Press mixture firmly into pan.
• Cover tightly, Chill at least 2 days before slicing, So that flavors may blend.
• Fruit& nuts may be pressed into top of cake (for decorations) Before chilling.
• This can be pressed into small pans for gifts.
• Be sure to refrigerate.