GOLDEN FRUITCAKE **EXCELLENT

Golden Fruitcake **Excellent image

This fruitcake is so awesome! It is light in color not the dark kind that tastes weird. I have made this since 1986 and I always make at least a double-triple batch to give around the Holidays. My sister always asks for some. It freezes so well and keeps in freezer for months. *Tip- purchase aluminum foil pans See recipe for...

Provided by Susan Cutler

Categories Cakes

Time 2h

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

1 c apricots, dried, cut into small pieces
2 c pineapple, candied, chopped
2 c raisins, golden
1 c raisins, dark
1 c cherries, candied
1 c citron, candied
1 c orange peel, candied, chopped
1/2 c lemon peel, candied, chopped
2 c pecans, coarsely chopped
1 c almonds, slivered, blanched
1 1/2 c shortening
1 1/2 c honey
2 tsp rum extract or vanilla
6 eggs
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
1/4 tsp cloves, ground
brandy

Steps:

1. Cut 1 cup dried apricots into small pieces; pour just enough boiling water over apricots to cover. Let stand for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly.Combine snipped apricots with 2 cups chopped, candied pineapple; 2 cups golden raisins; 1 cup dark raisins, 1 cup candied cherries, halved; 1 cup chopped citron; 1 cup chopped, candied orange peel; 1/2 cup chopped, candied lemon peel; 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, and 1 cup slivered, blanched almonds.
2. Cream 1 1/4 cups shortening, 1 1/2 cups honey, and 2 teaspoons rum extract or vanilla together thoroughly; beat in 6 eggs. Sift 2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Add to creamed mixture, mixing till smooth. Add fruit.
3. Turn fruitcake batter into greased pans lined with aluminum foil - either two 11x4x3 inch fruitcake pans and one 5 1/2x3x2 1/4 inch pan or one 10 inch tube springform pan and one 7 1/2x3 3/4x2 1/4 inch loaf pan. Bake at 275F degrees about 1 3/4 hours for small loaves, 2 hours for medium loaves, and 2 3/4 hours for tube pan. (Place shallow pan of hot water on bottom of oven.)
4. Cool cakes thoroughly, then remove them from pan. I use an injector to put brandy in cake. Be generous all over cake. The more, the better! Wrap tightly in brandy-soaked cloth and then foil. Store in cool place for several weeks. I start making cakes at the beginning to middle of October. That gives them lots of time to marinate and age in brandy. They are wonderful!