Aunt Louises Fruit Cake Recipes

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.)

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.

Steps:

• Place bulgur in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir 1/4 cup onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, basil, and pepper into the bulgur. Add ground beef and 1/2 pound lamb; mix well. Divide mixture into 2 portions. Pat 1 portion over the bottom of a 12x7-inch baking dish.
• Pat the other portion into a matching rectangle on a piece of waxed paper. Set aside for the top.
• Cook and stir remaining 1/4 cup onion and 1/2 pound lamb in a skillet until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain excess grease from the skillet. Stir in pine nuts and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spoon lamb-pine nut mixture over the meat layer in the baking dish.
• Invert top layer over the filling. Peel off waxed paper. Score top layer into diamond shapes by cutting diagonally in both directions, leaving about 3 inches between cuts. Press a small dab of butter into the middle of each diamond.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and mint.

Steps:

• Dissolve gelatin in cold water and set aside. Mix together the egg yolks, lemon juice, 1 cup sugar and pour into top of double boiler. Stirring constantly, cook over boiling water until thick as custard. Take off stove. Add gelatin to yolk mixture, stirring well then let it cool.
• In the mean time, line a 9-inch springform pan with the split lady fingers. Cut the ends off so they stand up along the sides if needed.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff then SLOWLY fold in the 1/2 cup sugar. Lastly fold the egg whites into the cooled yoke mixture. Pour into the lined pan and refrigerate covered with wax paper at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, whip cream, with a few drops of vanilla for flavor, cover as a frosting then serve. You can add cherries or strawberries for garnish if you like.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Place raisins, candied cherries, dates, and candied pineapple in a bowl; stir in 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey; set aside to soak.
• Beat butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat one egg at a time into the butter mixture; beat in vanilla extract and cinnamon with last egg.
• Stir pecans and fruit mixture into butter mixture; stir in self-rising flour alternately with remaining bourbon whiskey as needed to form a soft dough. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven just until cookies begin to look dry, about 30 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack; store in a sealed container lined with waxed paper.

Steps:

• Cut angel food cake into bite-sized cubes and place in an even layer in a 9 x 13 GLASS pan.
• Drain the mandarin oranges, reserving liquid.
• Add enough water to the liquid to equal 1 cup.
• Layer the mandarin oranges over the cake.
• Pour the 1 cup of juice and water into a saucepan and add the jello.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Pour into a large bowl and let cool for 1/2 hour.
• Add the sherbet, Cool Whip, sugar and vanilla.
• Mix well and pour over the cake and oranges.
• Run a knife through the cake to make sure it is distributed evenly throughout.
• Refrigerate until set (best over-night).
• NOTE: It is very important to use a glass pan as a metal pan will rust easily.