Winter Fruit And Nut Cake Recipes

WINTER FRUIT AND NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan. In medium bowl, toss dates, cranberries and 1/2 cup pecans with 1/4 cup cake mix. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix, pumpkin pie spice, water, oil, eggs and applesauce with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in date mixture. Spread in pan.
• Bake 34 to 39 minutes (37 to 43 minutes for dark or nonstick) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, 3/4 cup pecans and the milk. Spread over top of warm cake.
• Set oven control to broil. Broil cake with top 4 inches from heat about 1 minute or until bubbly. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.) Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Store loosely covered.

DRIED NUT AND FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-cup souffle dish or a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan. Line with brown paper; grease paper.
• Combine walnuts, pecans, brazil nuts, dates, apricots, prunes, candied fruits, raisins and cherries in large bowl.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt over nuts and fruits. Toss lightly until well coated.
• Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium-size bowl with electric mixer until fluffy and light. Pour over nut mixture. Stir gently to combine.
• Fill prepared dish or pan, pressing cake mixture firmly so it will hold its shape after baking.
• Bake for one hour and 45 minutes. (If fruits are browning too quickly, cover with buttered foil). Remove cake to wire rack.
• Spoon 1/4 cup brandy over cake. Let stand one hour. Invert; peel off paper; turn right side up; let stand on wire rack until cooled completely. Place wire rack in shallow pan; spoon remaining 1/2 cup brandy over cake.
• To store: Wrap in cheesecloth that has been soaked in brandy. Wrap in heavy duty foil or store in tightly covered container. If cheesecloth dries out, dip in brandy and rewrap cake.

FRUIT CAKE RECIPE (ALCOHOL AND NO-ALCOHOL)

Steps:

• Soak candied fruits, dried cranberries, raisins, candied cherries, dried figs, dried apricots, chopped dates, walnuts, almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts in 1 cup alcohol or juice for overnight or 24 hours.
• Mix well and cover tightly with a plastic wrap and, and store at room temperature.
• NOTE: Watch the recipe video to learn how to perform these cooking steps.
• Preheat oven to 320 degrees F (160°C). Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan (tube pan) with butter and make sure you butter in every nook and corner.
• Dust with some dry flour and shake off the excess flour. (You can also arrange blanched almonds at the bottom of the pan.)
• To make the cake, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully incorporated.
• Add sifted flour, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest, and lemon zest.
• Mix well on low speed, and beat until just combined. Make sure the batter is completely mixed.
• Stir in the soaked dried and candied fruits and chopped nuts and fold until combined.
• Add blanched almonds to the bottom fo the pan.
• Scrape batter into greased bundt pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
• Let it cool in pan for 10 minutes, then you can either sprinkle with 2 tablespoons alcohol or unsweetened juice.
• Invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• NOTE: Watch the recipe video to learn how to perform these cooking steps.
• Then, with a skewer, poke holes on the top surface of the cake and liberally brush with alcohol or juice.
• Soak cheesecloth with 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol.
• Wrap the cake thoroughly in cheesecloth and then in a parchment paper. Alternatively use a plastic wrap or aluminum foil to wrap.
• Place in an airtight cake tin or container and age for 2-3 weeks.
• Brush with 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol once a week up until a few days before you ice the cake.
• NOTE: Watch the recipe video to learn how to perform these cooking steps.
• To make the glaze, in a medium bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and a few drops of orange essential oil.
• Mix until smooth. If needed, thin the glaze with orange juice.
• NOTE: Watch the recipe video to learn how to perform these cooking steps.
• Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake and let set for about 10 minutes.
• Slice and serve at room temperature along with some warm mulled wine.
• NOTE: Watch the recipe video to learn how to perform these cooking steps.
• ENJOY THIS RECIPE.

ITALIAN FRUIT AND NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C in a fan oven), 375°F, gas 5 and line the springform tin with grease-proof paper.
• Briefly toast the hazelnuts, almonds and pistachios in a pan without fat, stirring. Allow to cool, rub off the skins of the hazelnuts and roughly chop all the nuts. Tip into a bowl and mix with the figs and raisins.
• Put the icing sugar and honey in a metal bowl over a pan of hot water. Stir continuously over a low heat until the mixture melts and forms threads. Stir in the cinnamon and cloves and allow to cool, stirring.
• Stir the honey mixture into the nuts and mix through 1-2 tbsp flour. Transfer to the cake tin and smooth the top flat. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.
• Serve dusted with icing sugar and cut into slices.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spray the loaf pans (either one 9-by-5-inch 8-cup loaf pan or two 8-by-4-inch 4-cup loaf pans) with vegetable oil spray or line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, and salt to combine. Add the brown sugar, all the dried fruit, and the nuts, and mix thoroughly with your fingers. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla until light. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands until all the fruits and nuts are coated with batter. Scrape into the prepared pans.
• Bake until the top is deep golden brown and the batter clinging to the fruit seems set, about 1 hour for smaller loaves, 10 to 15 minutes longer for a large loaf. Tent loosely with foil if the cake appears to be browning too much. Cool completely in the pans on a rack.
• When completely cool, remove the cake from the pans.
• To serve, cut into thin slices with a sharp heavy knife.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of one large 9 x 5 inch loaf pan or 2 smaller 8 x 4 loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the salt, baking powder and baking soda to combine. Add the brown sugar, all the dried fruit, and nuts and mix thoroughly with your fingers. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla extract until light. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands until all the fruits and nuts are coated with batter. Scrape into the prepared pan (pans).
• Bake until the top is deep golden brown and the batter clinging to the fruit seems set, about 1 hour for smaller loaves, 10-15 minutes longer for a large loaf. Tent loosely with foil if the cake appears to be browning too much. Cook completely in the pan(s) on a rack.
• When completely cool, remove the cake from the pan(s). The cake keeps, wrapped airtight in foil or plastic wrap, for several weeks at room temperature or at least 3 months in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for at least 6 months.
• To serve, cut into thin slices with a sharp heavy knife.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Line bottom of 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper and sides of pan. Preheat oven to 300°F. Mix first 10 ingredients together in large bowl.
• Stir honey and 1/3 cup sugar in heavy large saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and cook until candy thermometer registers 235°F. (soft-ball stage), stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat. Mix in nut-flour mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Press to even thickness using buttered palm of hand or spoon. Bake until top is no longer sticky, about 35 minutes. Cool. Sift powdered sugar over. (Can be prepared 3 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)