Best Festive Fruitcake I Recipes

FESTIVE FRUITCAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease four 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans, and then line with brown paper or foil. Grease again.
• In a large container stir raisins, currants, candied fruit mix, candied cherries, maraschino cherries, dates, and 1 cup flour together until all the fruit is well coated with flour.
• Measure 2 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Stir to mix.
• In a very large bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat in egg yolks three at a time. Stir in pineapple with juice and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 parts alternately with fruit juice in 2 parts to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in walnuts.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold egg whites into batter, and stir in fruit gently. Divide batter among pans. Smooth.
• Bake for about 3 hours until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean.

FESTIVE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom and sides of 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan with flour no-stick cooking spray.
• COMBINE water, oil and eggs in large bowl. Beat well. Add quick bread mix, pecans, raisins, cherries and pineapple. Stir with spoon until combined. Pour into prepared pan.
• BAKE 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool 1 hour longer or until completely cooled.
• WRAP tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in freezer for up to 3 months.
• Just before serving: HEAT jelly or syrup in microwave 10 seconds or until melted and smooth. Brush over fruitcake. Garnish with additional cherries and pecans, if desired.

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.

HOLIDAY WHITE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°. Line bottoms of four greased 9x5-in. loaf pans with parchment; grease parchment., In a small bowl, toss candied fruit, raisins and walnuts with 1/2 cup flour. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in remaining flour. Fold in fruit mixture., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup rum for at least 24 hours. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 6x3-inch round pan or loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into butter and sugar in three batches, alternating with molasses and milk. Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum.
• Cut out one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake. Moisten cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum. Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin, and age for at least 10 weeks. If storing longer, douse with additional rum for every 10 weeks of storage.

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.