Grandma Leachs Fruitcake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch tube pan and one 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves into a large bowl. Stir in the applesauce and oil, then mix in the raisins, dates, mixed fruit and 2 cups of walnuts. Pour into the prepared pans. Pans should be about 3/4 full if using mini pans, or an assortment.
• Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the crown of the cake comes out clean.

Steps:

• Pecans chopped roughly, almonds slivered and soak overnight in orange juice.
• Pineapple to be cut in tidbit size, cherries cut in quarters, citron peel cut fine, be sure to wash raisins, soak overnight in grape juice and rum.
• Set aside one cup of flour from recipe to sprinkle over the fruit before adding to batter.
• Cream butter at room temperature like whipped cream.
• Add sugar gradually until no sugar grains remain (about 15 minutes).
• Beat in egg yolks throughly.
• Stir in jelly and melted chocolate.
• Blend in flour and baking powder.
• Add fruit with hands small amounts at a time mixing well.
• Add almonds and pecans (juice as well if still leftover).
• Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
• Line pans with thin cardboard bottom and sides.
• Line pans with tin foil over the cardboard.
• Fill pans 3/4 full with batter (5-6 loaf pans).
• Bake at 275°F for 2 1/2 hours.
• If you use mini-pans you will have to watch the baking.
• You will know they are done when the tops are slightly dark.
• Possible cracking of the loaf--little bit springy, but not too springy.
• Cool on racks before removing.
• Peel off tin foil gently wrap in Saran Wrap (or cheesecloth if you are planning to soak in rum afterwards).
• Then wrap in tin foil store in a cool place tin container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Grease and flour three 9x5-in. loaf pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Combine currants, raisins, walnuts, candied citron and 1/4 cup flour. Toss to coat; set aside., Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. In another bowl, whisk baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and remaining flour; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee. Stir into currant mixture and mix well., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 days to blend flavors. Slice and bring to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Day one.
• Mix the first 11 ingredients into a large heavy based pot, place over a medium heat. Stir and bring to the boil (don't leave it alone in case it burns at the base).
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, you can leave it alone for this part.
• Turn the heat off and add the orange juice, stir until well combined and leave overnight to soak. Place a lid over the top to stop moisture evaporating through the night.
• Day 2.
• In the cold pot with the pre-soaked fruit mixture add the remaining ingredients and stir well, be warned - you will need some serious elbow grease as the mixture will be very thick!
• In either 2 large and deep loaf tins or a deep 20x20cm grease and line the sides and base 4 times with brown paper (I use brown paper bags that I have sliced open). Have the paper create a rim that goes up and above the tin. For a square tin you will need around 8 paper bags.
• Place the cake mix into the prepared tin/s. Bang the cake tin on the floor about 10 times to get all the air bubbles out.
• Using a wet hand, smooth the cake to make it flat. At this stage you can choose to decorate the top with blanched almonds or not.
• Place into a cold oven, turn the oven up to 250 degrees F/150 degrees C for 3 1/2 - 4 hours for 1 large cake or 2 1/2 - 3 hours for 2 loaves. Rotate the cakes at least once during cooking - even it you have a fan forced oven. Cake is cooked when a skewer comes out clean.
• Cool in the tin, cake is best eaten the day after baking.
• Store in an airtight container for upto 5-7 days depending on your humidity.