Best Aunt Louises Fruit Cake Recipes

GRANDMA LEONE'S FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 8x8-inch baking pans.
• Bring water and raisins to a boil in a saucepan; cook until raisins are plump, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool raisins; reserve raisin water.
• Mix 3 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Place pecans and 2 tablespoons flour in a resealable plastic bag; close and shake bag until pecans are coated. Pour pecans into a colander and shake off excess flour.
• Whisk sugar, oil, eggs, and cooled raisin water together in a bowl; fold in candied fruit. Stir flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, into sugar mixture until fully incorporated; fold in raisins and pecans. Fill the prepared pans a little over half full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); bake until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 more hour.

LOUISE'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter 10-cup Bundt pan; dust pan with flour. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup rum. Let stand at room temperature until liquids are almost absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine flour, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in fruit mixture. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out dry, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Turn out cake onto rack and cool.
• Stir corn syrup and remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons rum in heavy small saucepan over low heat until warm. Brush warm glaze twice over entire cake. Wrap cake in heavy-duty foil and let mellow 1 day at room temperature. Refrigerate. (Cake can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Store in refrigerator.)

AUNT LOUISE'S FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Mix all ingredients together.
• 2. Place 2/3 of batter into a pan.
• 3. Spread 1 can blueberry pie filling onto.
• 4. Top of with remaining batter and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

LORRIE'S MOTHER'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325° F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter angel food or tube pan. Combine first 3 ingredients in large bowl. Add dates, pecans, walnuts and all raisins and toss to coat. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in another large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add extracts. Add dry ingredients; fold until just combined (batter will resemble cookie dough). Spoon batter into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake until cake is golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edges of cake to loosen. Turn out cake onto rack; cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic.)

AUNT LOUISE'S RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed or parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Set aside.
• To prepare the batter, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the oil and the sugar on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the food coloring. Add the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until just combined.
• To bake the layers, divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake until firm and a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to prepare the frosting, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth. Sift over the confectioners' sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. If too stiff, add the milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve the correct consistency.
• To assemble, place one layer on a cardboard cake round. Spread with frosting. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers, placing the final layer bottom-side up. Finish with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle over the pecans. Serve the cake immediately, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

AUNT LOU'S FRESH APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan., In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and baking powder; gradually beat into oil mixture. Stir in apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

MAMA'S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE - DEE DEE'S

Steps:

• 1. Sift all dry ingredients together. Coat fruit and nuts with just enough of flour mixture (about 1 cup) to ensure that the fruit does not stick together; set aside.
• 2. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• 3. Add remaining dry mixture to egg, sugar and butter mixture; add liquor and vanilla; mix well.
• 4. Pour the creamed mixture over the fruit and nuts. Hand stir until mixed well.
• 5. Pour into 2 10-inch waxed paper lined tube pans, garnish top of cake with cherries, pineapple slices and pecan halves; place in cold oven, set oven at 275 degrees; bake 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours or until a long skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. MY MOHTERS RECIPE STATES BAKE IN SLOW OVEN FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS. IT TOOK MUCH LONGER IN MY OVEN.
• 6. Once cakes are done, cool and wrap in wine soaked cheesecloth, then in Reynolds Wrap and then wrap in towels.
• 7. NOTE: The secret to these wonderful cakes is in the aging process. Mama would age her cakes from 2 to 3 weeks. Once a week she would un-wrap the cakes and pour enough liquor over the cakes to keep them moist until Christmas.

DAISY'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Line three 8x4-in. loaf pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar and apple juice; let stand for 15 minutes. In a bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add to apple mixture; mix well. Combine the flour, apple pie spice, baking soda and salt; add to apple mixture and mix well. Fold in pecans, cherries and pineapple. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Remove waxed paper. Cool completely.