Carolyns Christmas Fruitcake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 8x4 inch loaf pan.
• Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves together in a large bowl. Stir in the oats. Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs until well blended. Mix in the applesauce, walnuts, and raisins. Stir in the flour mixture just until moistened. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until a knife inserted in middle comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Take care not to overbake. Cool 5 minutes in pan before turning out on a rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
• Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)
• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
• Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
• When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

Steps:

• Combined graham cracker crumbs, coconut, cherries, pecans and pineapple in large bowl.
• Mix well.
• Mix marshmallows& milk in top of a double boiler.
• Stir constantly until marshmallows are melted.
• Pour over dry mixture and stir till well blended.
• Line loaf pan with foil.
• Press fruit cake mixture into pan forming a loaf.
• Chill for at least 3-4 hours.
• Slice and enjoy.

Steps:

• Make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add the lemon zest and juice and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat.
• Combine the dried fruits together in a large mixing bowl.
• Pour the simple syrup over them, toss to coat, and let steep for 5 minutes.
• Strain and reserve the syrup.
• Cream the butter, sugar, and almond paste together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle at low speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Beat about 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.
• Add ½ cup of the Grand Marnier and mix to incorporate.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon,nutmeg, ginger& cloves in a medium-size mixing bowl and blend well.
• Add this mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the butter mixture with the mixer on low speed, each time mixing until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• The batter will be thick.
• Add the warm fruit and all the nuts a little at a time, mixing well.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease twelve 1-pound loaf pans or 6-2 pound pans or cans.
• Spoon about 1 cup of the batter into each 1 pound pan, 2 cups into the 2 pound pans or cans.
• Bake until golden and the tops spring back when touched, about 45 minutes for the 1 pound pans 60 or longer for the larger pans (rearranging them after 25 minutes if necessary to brown evenly).
• Test with toothpick for doneness.
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pans.
• Remove cakes from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
• Wrap each cake in a layer of cheesecloth.
• Store in plastic storage bags until they are slightly stale, 3 to 4 days.
• Combine the reserved simple syrup with the remaining ½ cup Grand Marnier and the bourbon.
• Without removing the cheesecloth, make tiny holes with a toothpick randomly on the top of each cake.
• Pour 2 tablespoons of the syrup over the top of each cake once every 2 to 3 days until all of the syrup is used.
• Let the cakes age for up to 3 weeks before eating.
• Makes 12 (1-pound) or 6 (2-pound) cakes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients., Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container. (Cookies are best after a few days.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Line four greased and floured 5-3/4x3x2-in. loaf pans with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside., In a large bowl, combine dates, nuts, cherries and coconut. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir into fruit mixture until well coated., In a small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla until foamy. Fold into fruit mixture and mix well. Pour into prepared pans., Bake 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in a cool, dry place. Cut with a serrated knife.