Golden Fruitcake Recipes

Steps:

• Place raisins in a large bowl; cover with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside. , In another large bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in the walnuts, pineapple, cherries, coconut and raisins. , Spoon into nine greased 5-3/4x3x2-in. loaf pans. Bake at 300° for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

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:

• In a large nonreactive bowl, combine dried fruit, walnuts, and 1 1/4 cups brandy. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 8 hours (or up to 1 day), stirring occasionally.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs in 2 additions, scraping down bowl in between. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and spices. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down bowl in between. Fold fruit mixture into batter.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two minimuffin pans with paper liners. Fill each liner with 1 rounded tablespoon batter. Firmly tap pans on counter to settle batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean and edges are light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.
• Brush cakes with 1/2 cup brandy; transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. (To store, cover and refrigerate, up to 1 month.) Brush with apricot jam before serving or packing.

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:

• Place marzipan on plate; cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight. Combine dried figs and next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter baking pans or forms. Beat 1 1/2 cups butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until light. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla, cardamom, nutmeg and salt. Stir in flour in 4 additions. Stir in pine nuts, dried fruit mixture and any soaking liquid from bowl. Gently stir in marzipan.
• Divide batter among prepared pans. Place pans on baking sheet. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pans on racks. Wrap in plastic. Let stand at least 1 day and up to 3 days at room temperature or chill up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 15 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat together egg yolks and egg white. Beat the egg mixture into the butter and sugar.
• In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Stir flour into egg mixture alternately with milk. Stir in almond and vanilla extracts. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300D F.
• Mix together almonds and fruit: Set aside.
• Mix together flour, baking powder and salt: Set aside.
• Grease Bundt pan well and lightly flour it.
• Cream shortening (or butter) and sugar well.
• Beat in eggs.
• Add vanilla.
• Blend flour mixture alternately with brandy into creamed shortening and sugar.
• Add almond and fruit mixture and mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Keep a pan of hot water on lowest shelf of oven while cake is baking.
• Bake for about 2 hours until cake tests done.
• Cool in pan 10-15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on wire rack.
• Wrap cake in brandy soaked cloth and store in airtight container in fridge for several weeks.

Steps:

• Cream butter, add sugar gradually and continue beating.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
• Add orange juice, raisins, candied fruit, coconut and nuts.
• Fold in sifted dry ingredients.
• Turn into greased, double wax paper lined loaf pan and bake at 275°F for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
• Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
• Turn out and cool completely on rack.
• Wrap in plastic wrap; store for 3-5 weeks before serving.