California Fruitcake Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl.
• Add remaining ingredients over fruit and lift from bottom to stir.
• Bake in well greased angel food pan at 250 degrees for 1 1/4 hours or until well browned on top.

Steps:

• Combine figs, raisins, dates, pears & pineapple in a large bowl with the sherry. Marinate overnight at room temp covered with plastic wrap.
• The next day, simmer apricots in nectar 10 minutes & then cool. Drain marinated fruits (save sherry!) & add apricots after draining (add nectar to drained sherry).
• Grease & line bottom of 5 baby loaf pans (5 5/8 x 3 1/4 x 1 7/8 inch) with brown paper (grease again after laying paper in pans). I have used a 12 cup bundt pan with good results - increasing cooking time by 30 minutes & then checking with toothpick.
• Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder & cinnamon.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add Lemon extract or zest & vanilla & mix. Add flour, baking powder & cinnamon to wet ingredients & mix lightly to make batter.
• Using remaining 1/4 cups of flour to dredge fruits & nuts in a separate bowl.
• Add fruit & nuts to batter & blend well.
• Pour into prepared pans & place in COLD oven on middle rack. Put a pan of cold water in bottom of oven & turn oven on to 250 degrees F.
• Bake 2 hours until golden & tester comes out clean. Cool cakes on wire rack. Remove brown paper while still warm.
• Wrap each fruitcake in cheesecloth moistened with sherry/nectar & then in heavy weight aluminum foil.
• Refrigerate 2 to 4 weeks, moistening with sherry when cheesecloth seems to be getting dry.
• For gift-giving, overwrap with red cellophane & top with a bow.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 8x8-inch baking pans.
• Bring water and raisins to a boil in a saucepan; cook until raisins are plump, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool raisins; reserve raisin water.
• Mix 3 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Place pecans and 2 tablespoons flour in a resealable plastic bag; close and shake bag until pecans are coated. Pour pecans into a colander and shake off excess flour.
• Whisk sugar, oil, eggs, and cooled raisin water together in a bowl; fold in candied fruit. Stir flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, into sugar mixture until fully incorporated; fold in raisins and pecans. Fill the prepared pans a little over half full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); bake until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 more hour.

Steps:

• Grease and flour two 9x5-in. loaf pans. Line the bottoms with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Set aside., Combine the pecans, pineapple, peaches, raisins and 1/2 cup flour; set aside. , In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar; add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 1/2 cup peach nectar, honey and milk; beat well (mixture will appear curdled). Combine cinnamon, baking powder, salt, allspice and remaining flour; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Add pecan mixture; stir well., Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. , With a skewer, poke holes in the loaves. Spoon remaining nectar over loaves. Let stand for 10 minutes; remove from pans to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool place. Slice and bring to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Chop 1st four ingriedients.
• Mix eggs & sugar.
• mix flour with spices and baking powder.
• Layer cherries, sprinkle flour mixture, layer pecan.
• Layer pinapple, sprinkle flour mixture, layer pecans.
• Layer dates, sprinkle flour mixture layer pecans.
• Repeat layers till all used up.
• Pour egg and sugar mixture over fruit and nuts, mix well by hand.
• Line pans that are used with wax paper and packed with mixture and put in a 225* oven and bake till toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let cool and pull wax paper off.
• Wrap cake in Saran Wrap.
• May put 1/2 cherries and whold pecans on top to decorate.