posted by Mona M 11-26-102 4:17 PM
Dark Fruit Cake
Pat Ivimey gave me this rich fruit cake recipe. It was her mother-in-law's recipe, and has been used
through generations to make many family wedding cakes. It is so thick with fruit that it usually has to
be mixed with the hands, as opposed to a spoon.
Fruit:
2 cups candied citron peel
2 cups candied mixed peel
2 cups candied cherries
2 cups currents
2 cups raisins
Dry Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour (from which 1 cup is taken to mix with fruit)
1/2 tsp. salt
Spices:
1 cup molasses
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. Allspice
rum to taste
Other:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
5 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp. baking soda
Mix 1 cup of flour with fruit until fruit is thoroughly coated.
Simmer together molasses and spices.
Cream butter and sugar, add beaten eggs, a little at a time
Add remaining dry ingredients alternately with molasses and spice to which rum has been added,
stirring carefully.
Mix baking soda with 2 tbs. of hot water. Add fruit. Mix lightly, but well. Add baking soda; stir well.
Place batter in prepared cake pan/pans. Put a small pan filled with water in the oven. (To prevent the cake from drying too much) Place pan/pans in oven.
Bake at 375F for 3 1/2 hours (Test to see if cake is baked by inserting a long skewer or knitting
needle into cake. If the item comes out clean, the cake is cooked. If batter is attached to the item,
the cake needs to bake longer.)
Boiled Dark Fruit Cake
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Cloves
Pinch of salt
3 1/2 c. water
1 lb. dark raisins
1/2 c. sherry
1 lb. candied fruits
1 c. nut meats (optional)
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
Boil first 7 ingredients together for 15 minutes. Let cool. (Makes your house smell wonderful.) Add
sherry, candied fruits, and nut meats to cooled mixture. Sift together flour and baking soda 3 times.
Now alternately mix a portion of dry and wet mixtures together (about 5 mixings). Do not beat; just
fold together gently until flour is totally assimulated.
Grease two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans (aluminum pans can be used). Transfer equal portions of batter to
pans. Decorate top with nuts and candied cherries, if desired. Bake approximately 1 hour at 375
degrees or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.
Remove from pans. Sprinkle with sherry. Wrap in aluminum foil and store 2 weeks in cool place.
Freezes well. An easy to make, excellent moist tasty fruit cake. Makes a nice gift wrapped in tissue
and tied with ribbon.
Dark Christmas Fruit Cake
1 c. currants
3 c. light or dark raisins
1/2 c. dried preserved orange- peel
1/2 c. diced preserved lemon- peel
1 1/2 diced preserved citron
1 c. halved candied cherries
1 c. diced preserved pineapple
1 c. pecan halves
1 c. blanched almonds, cut- lengthwise
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. soft shortening
6 eggs, separated
1/2 square unsweetened- chocolate, melted
1/4 c. fresh, frozen or canned- lemon juice
1/4 c. orange juice
2 c. sifted all purpose flour
Thoroughly grease 3" to 4" deep 10" tube pan. Cut heavy waxed paper to fit bottom and sides of pan. Line pan with waxed paper (be sure paper fits snugly) and lightly grease paper. Or use aluminum foil without greasing. In large bowl, thoroughly mix currants, raisins, peels, citron, cherries, pineapple and nuts with 1 cup flour until all are coated with flour.
Start heating oven to 300 degrees.
Sift remaining 1 cup flour with spices and soda. In large electric mixer bowl, with mixer at medium speed, or cream blend shortening with sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add melted chocolate. At low speed or blend, beat in alternately, just until smooth, flour mixture and fruit juices. When mixture is thoroughly blended, stir by hand into fruit mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into cake mixture. Turn into tube pan.
Bake 2 hours and 20 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool
completely in pan; remove paper; store to mellow.