Dark Delicious Fruitcake Recipes

Steps:

• Wash and dry the raisins and the currants. Wash, dry, pit, and chop the dates. Chop the raisins and the citrus peel. Slice the cherries. Blanch the almonds, and slice them lengthwise. Combine fruits and nuts in large bowl.
• Grease and line 3 standard Christmas cake pans (these round pans are at least 3 inches deep and come in a set of three sizes- 5, 7, and 9 inch across) with 4 layers of heavy waxed paper, or 3 layers of brown paper. Grease again. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices onto a piece of waxed paper. Remove 1 cup of this flour mixture, and combine with fruit and nuts. Mix until fruit is well coated.
• Cream the butter until fluffy. Add extracts. Gradually add sugar, mixing until creamy. Beat egg yolks until light and lemon-colored, and beat into the butter mixture. Stir in the molasses, and beat together well. Add half of the remaining flour mixture, and blend thoroughly.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into batter. Stir in lightly the remaining flour mixture alternately with grape juice and coffee. Add floured fruit and nuts, blending in until fruit is well distributed.
• Turn batter into prepared cake tins, filling each about 2/3 full and spreading batter evenly. Bake in center of oven. Bake small cake 2 1/2 hours, medium cake 3 1/2 hours, and large cake 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes, then turn out on wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• With 3/4 cup of the dark rum, pour over chopped fruit and nuts. Cover and let soak for at least 48 hours. The fruit should be stirred once a day or so.
• Keep remaining rum for after baking directions -- see below.
• Stir flour, salt, baking soda and spices together Set aside.
• In separate bowl, Cream shortening and brown sugar together till fluffy.
• Add eggs and beat one at a time.
• Add molasses, jam and mix well.
• Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in fruit.
• Prepare your round fruit cake pan by oiling and line pan with paper. Oil and flour again lightly.
• Ensure the top of the paper is about 1 inch or so above the top of the pan.
• Fill prepared pans 2/3 full.
• Bake in a slow oven 300°F for 2 hours or so.
• Place a shallow pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven during baking. This will ensure the cake stays moist. Remove this pan of water during the last hour of baking.
• Cool completely before removing paper.
• Storing and mellowing of fruit Cake: Wrap a cheese cloth that has been soaked in the remaining 1/4 cup of rum over the cake, covering it completely.
• Next wrap the cake and cheesecloth in aluminum foil wrap.
• Place in a cool place. Taste of cake is best when stored for 4 weeks or so! I've often brushed egg white over the cake, rolled out almond paste and laid it over the top and sides of cake. I then ice it. Everyone raves! NOTE: I've often doubled the recipe for a larger cake.

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees F.
• Butter two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
• Line the pans with foil, then butter the foil.
• Cream the butter or shortening.
• Add in brown sugar; beat until light.
• Add in lemon extract and eggs and beat well.
• Stir in molasses and blend to combine.
• In a small bowl combine the flour with baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, mace, cloves and salt; beat into the creamed mixture until combined.
• Add in milk; beat until combined.
• Stir in the candied fruit, candied cherries, candied citron, dates or raisins and nuts; mix well.
• Transfer/divide the batter between the two pans.
• Bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until the loaves test done.
• Turn out onto racks to cool.
• When completely cooled wrap well and store in an airtight container.
• BRANDIED FRUIT CAKE OPTION; soak two large pieces of cheesecloth in brandy.
• Wrap each fruit cake in the cheesecloth covering all sides, then wrap well in foil.
• Moisten the cheesecloth with additional brandy every few days for about a week.

Steps:

• Baking times and pan sizes-- 4 x 4 pan takes 1 1/2 hours 6 x 6 pan takes 3 hours 8 x 8 pan takes 4 1/2 hours Preheat oven 275 degrees F.
• Line cake pan set plus one extra with three layers brown greased paper.
• Grease sides next to the batter.
• Place a small dish of water in bottom of oven for steam and moisture.
• Test by touching finger in centre of cake, if no dent press harder.
• Cake should be firm to touch or slightly springy.
• Method: Prepare almonds, soak overnight in the orange juice.
• Prepare fruit, and soak overnight in the grape juice, sprinkle a little flour over the fruit.
• Next Day-- cream butter at room temperature but not too soft.
• Add white sugar gradually creaming until no grains are felt between fingertips.
• Beat in the beaten egg yolks.
• Blend well.
• ALL STEPS MUST BE FOLLOWED AS GIVEN TO PREVENT BUTTER FROM OOZING OUT DURING BAKING.
• Stir in the grape jelly and the melted cooled chocolate.
• Blend in the flour, and baking powder.
• Add the fruits in small amounts at a time, mixing well.
• Add almonds, and pecans.
• Fold in lastly the stiff beaten egg whites-- Pour into prepared pans and bake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter two 9x5-inch loaf pans, line them with foil, then butter the foil. Cream the butter or shortening, add the brown sugar, and beat until light. Add the lemon extract and eggs and beat well. Stir in the molasses and blend. Mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, mace, cloves, and salt; beat into the first mixture. Add the milk and beat until smooth. Stir in the candied fruit, citron, raisins, and pecans, and mix well. Spoon into the pans and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn out onto racks to cool. When completely cool, wrap well and store in an airtight container.
• Brandied Fruit Cake
• Soak two large pieces of cheesecloth in brandy. Wrap each fruit cake in the cheesecloth, covering all sides, then wrap well in foil. Moisten the cheesecloth with additional brandy every few days for about a week. The brandy will flavor the cake and help preserve it too.

Steps:

• At least 2 weeks before you plan to bake the cakes, place prunes, raisins, currants, cherries, citrus peel, candied ginger, rum, and port in a large container with a lid. Stir fruit once a day.
• When ready to bake the cakes, preheat oven to 250 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans and two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans and line with parchment; butter parchment and set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor or the jar of a heavy-duty blender, grind almonds to a coarse meal. Stir ground almonds into the fruit mixture until well combined. Working in batches, transfer almond-fruit mixture to the bowl of a food processor or jar of a blender and pulse until a chunky paste forms. Transfer paste to a large bowl or a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder until smooth; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add vanilla, and beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer to a very large bowl or stock pot.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into butter mixture. Add cocoa powder mixture and molasses and fold to combine; stir in fruit.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until cakes are firm on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 3 hours. Remove from oven and immediately brush tops of cakes with rum. Let cakes cool completely.
• Invert cooled cakes to unmold and brush with additional rum. Wrap cakes in cheesecloth, a clean dish towel, or sturdy paper towels, and then in aluminum foil. Let stand at room temperature at least 3 days before serving, and up to 1 month. Serve cakes dusted with confectioners' sugar or frosted with royal icing.

Steps:

• Put the mixed dried fruit in a large pan with the rum, butter, sugar and citrus zest and juice. Set the pan over a medium heat, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and heat until the butter has melted. Leave to cool for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside and secure with string.
• Tip the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and spices into a large bowl. Add the cooled fruit mix along with the syrupy liquid in the pan, then the stem ginger, eggs and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until there are no pockets of flour.
• Tip the mix into the tin, level the top with a spatula and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 2 hrs until cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven, poke holes into the top with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp rum. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
• Once cool, peel off the baking parchment, then wrap in fresh parchment and store in an airtight cake tin. Feed the cake with 1-2 tbsp rum every fortnight, or up to four times until you ice it. Don't feed the cake for the final week to give the surface a chance to dry before icing. Once iced, the cake will keep in a tin for four weeks. The uniced cake will keep in the freezer for six months.