WHITE HOUSE FRUITCAKE

White House Fruitcake image

Pastry chef Roland Mesnier has updated the version of the fruitcake made at the White House for many years.

Provided by Marian Burros

Categories dessert

Time 1h30m

Yield 3 loaf cakes

Number Of Ingredients 29

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Ingredients

1 15-ounce package raisins
2 cups golden raisins
1 cup currants
10 ounces mixed candied fruits
1 6-ounce mixture of glazed pears, peaches, apricots, figs and dates, cut up
1/3 cup candied pineapple
1 cup chopped pecans
4 ounces slivered almonds
1/2 cup bourbon or Port
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 pound butter
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Grated rind of 2 lemons
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 12-ounce jar apricot preserves
1/2 cup rum
6 to 8 tablespoons bourbon
1 pound confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter

Steps:

Combine the raisins, currants, candied fruits, glazed fruits, candied pineapple, pecans and almonds with the bourbon and brandy in a large bowl. Refrigerate overnight, or if possible, for two days.
Beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey, one-third cup of all-purpose flour, grated lemon rind, almond and vanilla extracts until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift together one cup of all-purpose flour, one cup of cake flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon together. Add to the batter and beat until well mixed. Combine batter with the fruit and nut mixture, mixing well.
Grease three 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch pans. Line the bottoms and sides with aluminum foil; grease the foil. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing tops.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. If tops are browning too fast, cover lightly with buttered foil.
While the cakes are baking, bring the apricot preserves to a hard boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce.
Remove the cakes from the oven and while they are still hot, sprinkle with the rum. Then brush with the hot apricot jam.
Mix enough bourbon with confectioners' sugar and butter to make a frosting that is thin enough to spread on top of the apricot jam while the cakes are still warm.
Cool cakes in pans on wire rack. Allow frosting to dry. Remove cakes from pans; peel off foil. Cool completely. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Cake should be sliced chilled.