FruitCake

It was always my theory there was only ever ONE fruitcake. It kept being re-gifted since nobody ever actually ate the thing !

We are very much prep at home foodies and bakers all year around. This traditional British Style Christmas cake ideally should be made up to 2 months in advance - if you have the time, feed it with brandy/rum in the run up to Christmas for a very rich moist cake. I tend to pipe icing some years and other years if rushed make rough peaks placing silver mini balls on and sprig of holly plus a ribbon around. Makes the table centre piece every year in our family get together.

Ingredients
225g/8oz plain flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
200g/7oz butter
200g/7oz dark brown sugar
2 tbsp black treacle
1 tbsp marmalade
¼ tsp vanilla essence
4 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
800g/1¾lb mixed dried fruits
100g/3½oz chopped mixed peel
150g/5oz glacé cherries, halved
100g/3½oz blanched almonds, chopped
brandy

To decorate
200g/7oz marzipan
1-2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed

For the royal icing
3 free-range egg whites
600g/1lb 5oz icing sugar, sieved
1½ tsp liquid glycerine - optional
1 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:
Heat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2. Grease a 20cm/8inch round or an 18cm/7inch square cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
Sieve the flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a bowl.
Cream the butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl and then mix in the sugar, treacle, marmalade and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
Mix the eggs a little at a time into the mixture adding a tablespoon of flour mixture with the last amount.
Fold in the remaining flour mixture until well mixed and then mix in the dried fruit, mixed peel, glace cherries and the almonds.
Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and make a slight hollow in the centre.

Bake in the oven low heat for 3 hours and then test with a skewer. If not ready bake for up to another hour testing every 20 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Once cool, make a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour over 3-4 tbspof brandy. Let the brandy soak into the cake.
Store the cake wrapped in foil and in an airtight tin or plastic container, holes side up.

OPTIONAL: For a rich and moist cake, spoon over a few tablespoons of brandy every week until you are ready to ice and decorate your cake.

To decorate the cake, place the cake on a foil board or cake plate:
Dust your hands and the work surface with a little icing sugar and knead the marzipan until soft.
Roll out half the marzipan to fit the top of the cake and roll out the rest in strips to fit around the sides of the cake.
Brush the cake all over with the warmed apricot jam and then place the marzipan on top and around the cake.mins

Cover the cake with a clean tea towel and then leave in a cool place for at least one day.

To make the icing, lightly whisk the egg whites adding the sugar at intervals. Beat well until the icing reaches soft peaks. Add the glycerine if using and the lemon juice.

Spread icing all over cake either flat iced using a clean ruler or by forming soft peaks. You can make the finish as elaborate or basic as you chose. Decorate with Christmas ornaments, ribbon or piped icing and mini edible balls.

Here's another family favorite, more candy than cake. My mother used to mix it with her hands because it's very sticky!!
Icebox Fruit Cake
1 pound candied cherries
1 pound candied pineapple
1 pound golden seedless raisins
2 boxes dates
2 cups pecans
2 cups walnuts
2 pounds butter cookies or graham crackers, crushed
1 pound marshmallows or marshmallow creme
2 cups evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk

In food processor, chop cherries, pineapple, raisins, dates, pecans, and walnuts. Mix chopped fruits and nuts into cookie crumbs, coating evenly and well. (Cake crumbs may be substituted, if desired.)
On low heat, melt marshmallows in milk, stirring to blend smooth. Gradually stir just enough marshmallow mixture into crumb-coated fruits and nuts to bind the ingredients. The final mixture should have a very stiff consistency. It may not be necessary to use all of the marshmallow mixture.
Pack the mixed batter into two loaf pans that have been greased and lined with waxed paper or parchment. Let stand to set. Remove from pans and wrap in waxed paper. If desired, garnish cakes with nut or cherry halves or designs of candied fruits. Keep refrigerated. Makes two fruitcakes, about 32 servings.

This is the white fruit cake my mother used to make. My mother-in-law used to make it early and each week unwrap and drizzle with peach brandy.
Texas Pecan Fruitcake
1 lb (abt 2.5 c) candied red cherries, cut in pieces
1 lb (abt 2.5 c) candied pineapple, cut in pieces
1 lb (abt 3 c) golden raisins
1 lb (abt 4 c) pecans, coarsely chopped
4 c sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 c butter
4 tsp lemon juice
2.25 c sugar
6 large eggs, well beaten until thick and piled softly
1. Thoroughly grease one 10 in tube pan. Set aside.
2. ix together the prepared fruits and nuts and 1 c of the flour. Sift together the remaining flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Cream together butter and lemon juice until softened. Add sugar gradually, creaming until fluffy after each addition.
4. Add beaten eggs in thirds, beating thoroughly after each addition.
5. Beating only until smooth after each addition, add dry ingredients in fourths to creamed mixture. Finally beat only until smooth (do not over beat). Mix in the fruit mixture. Put batter in pan, spread evenly.
6. Place a shallow pan with 3 c. water on bottom rack of oven during baking.
7. Bake 275 degrees 4.5 hours or until cake tester comes out clean when inserted in cake.
8. Remove from oven. Set on cooling rack.
Abt 7 lbs fruitcake.

Our son sent us one of these Trappist Fruitcakes
It's the best I've ever had. Claxton tastes like cardboard bricks now.

Tried a lot of fruit cakes. My favorite ended up being the Costco fruit cake. Out of Costco you have to improve on the flavor. Sorry, we pour brandy over it and let it set a few weeks. Ours will be ready to sample in a few days.

claxton fruitcake is the best. Its not cheap or very big.