# Fruit Cake



## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

Now This recipe was inspired by a Pastry Chef , an Indian one (Millie), not from india, so I will let you guess. My mother and I have made this over the years and it was created for my sister Anne Marie ( who is 11 months older than I am) yes back in the day , all three girls were named after queens, FWIW. 
My grandmother was born in England, Gloucester and she made this fruit cake time and again. It was served at my sister's wedding for 400 people 25 years ago and we are making it now as next year will be the big "Party". Tonight when I signed off it was with a gin and tonic as I knew I was heading over to my mother's house to start this recipe but for X 4. Yes , a big one. But do not worry we are ready for it, I think. 
If anyone would like to make this for a wedding cake just PM me and I will give you further instructions. It has 180 tinted icing roses, originally. But the quantity will fill 4 loaf pans 5 X9.

Old English Fruit Cake

2 cups of butter
1 pound brown sugar
12 eggs , separated
4 cups AP flour
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
3 teaspoons of mace
3 teaspoons of ground clove
2 teaspoon of allspice
2 teaspoons nutmeg (ground fresh, nothing less)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 pound of mixed candied fruit
1 pound candied cherries
1 pound of seeded raisins
1 pound of seedless raisins
1 pound of currants
1 pound of dates
½ diced lemon citron/orange
½ pound of broken pecans
½ pound of slivered almonds ( we break them down more)
1 cup of brandy or rum
½ cup of expresso
Grated peel and juice of 3 medium oranges
Grate peel and juice of 1 lemon peel
Brandy or Rum (we are using both)

This recipe will give you 4 loaf pans , 5 X 9
Butter the pans. Line with brown paper bag and butter the pan again.
1- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat egg yolks well and add, stirring batter until smooth and creamy.
2- Sift flour, measure and sift again with cinnamon, mace, clove, allspice, nutmeg and salt. In another bowl, combine candied fruit, cherries, seeded and seedless raisins, currants, dates, citron, and pecans and almonds. Mix lightly with one cup of the spiced flour.
3- In another bowl, combine brandy/rum (or whatever you would like to use) coffee, grated peel and juice or oranges and lemons.
4- Add spiced flour to batter, blending it in rotation with the alcohol mixture. Then add fruit and nut mixture and mix well. Beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, then fold into batter. Spoon into prepared pans.
5- Place shallow pan of water in bottom oven heated to 250 degrees F. Bake cakes for about 3 ½ hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set cakes on wire rack to cool.
6- When cool , remove from pans. Wrap individually in cheesecloth that has soaked in brandy. Then wrap individually in 2 layers of aluminum foil, sealing to make wrapping airtight.

Now if you are wanting to make this recipe for quests.....it will give 100 hundred portions. As per "this " recipe. The original recipe was posted in the Montreal Gazette... years ago. It has been tweaked so many times....well this is just as good as a dark fruit cake gets. (for me)

You can glaze with : Butter Cream Icing, Royal icing or Almond paste. If I have missed anything, let me know....
I have to throw in the song my dad put on for me tonight , I am still playing it....sorry but its all part of my cooking and its my favorite Spanish song, what is has to do with fruit cake ? Nothing....Just love it !





Trio Los Panchos, Cielito Lindo......

Ps . forgive any typo's, ask any question


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## kannan (Dec 1, 2009)

It looks good and simple.I will check it out.One of my other favourite cake is Banana cake(Pazham cake)

Thanks,
K


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## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

Just to let you know,


One of the double batches had different alcohol.

It might sound crazy but its my NEW SECRET twist to the recipe.

1/3 cup of Goldschlager
1/3 cup of eau de vie
1/3 cup of triple sec

Added this time 5 cinnamon
and 1 cup of molasses
doubled on the blackberry jam.

Add then wrapped all the cakes in cheesecloth soaked in the mixed alcohol.

My father does not want to Zest another orange/lemon so long as he lives.

24 fruit cakes.....success.
Merci


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

My Christmas cakes and christmas puddings were made a couple of weeks ago and have been given a weekly 'feed' of alcohol. They are presently in a drawer under a spare bed! I marzipan and ice the cakes about a week before Christmas.


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## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

Sounds great. 

Ours are in the basement / cold room soaking up ....these will get a good "watering" every month before her party. 
I was tossing up some ideas for the top and marzipan sounds like a good idea. I am not much into the other stuff....

Mace was a hard thing to find here, its not exactly something you would find in your typical grocery store.

After 36 hours of cooking these fruitcakes ,my mother's house smelled like Seagrams VO when you walked in.....ten deep breaths and ...."I am down here....can you help me up ?"


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

Petals, your recipe sounds grand. Also sounds like you have fun with your family. All contributing towards the final outcome.

I never eat fruit cake unless I know for sure it has no candied peel in it - Cant stand the stuff. So i make my own without. Bin feeding it with a mix of sherry n brandy for 2 weeks like Ishbel. Forgot to add the booze to the recipe when i made my givaway ones, so i'm dousing them every day

Cant quite imagine buttercream on a rich fruit cake. Have you done it before?


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Buttercream on a CHRISTMAS CAKE? Sacrilege!


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## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

Oh Boy !!!!!! (oh garcon does not work)


Well.....


I know Ishbel is really going to jump now.....but I have put just about every kind of frosting on my fruit cakes. I will not write down anything that may frighten you.....( I will save that)


Hold on to your tea ......


Creme Fraiche Frosting
Water Icing
Cream Cheese
Royal 
Abricot glaze


This recipe was used the last time......


Almond Paste :


1 ½ pound of ground almonds
1 tbs sherry
1 tsp ratafia (or half )
1 tbs whiskey (or more...different strokes for ....)
1 tsp almond essence
1 tsp orange flower water
1 lb of castor sugar
2 eggs


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

Almond paste is a must IMO. Then royal icing, or fondant. But remember to add some glycerine to stop it going rock hard.

Good tip... before applying fondant, brush vodka over the almond paste.It makes it sticky n keeps it bacteria free.(It does have to keep).. U wont taste it.

I'm just talking trad Christmas here. Obviously you can do what u like.


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## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

Great point Bughut !

There are so many twists and spins on a fruit cake.

I was thinking of doing one Carribean style.....all the same spices, with an added 2 of each, raisin, currants, dates, pineapple, fig, papaya, coconut, macadamia nuts, Jamaican rum.

Which brings me to another idea, putting the proper alcohol. 
If I was going to make it with rum, I think I would use either Corumba or Appleton.
Monymusk produces 3 good rums, 18 ages, 19 and 8 , they are all premium dark rums.

Does anyone have an opinion ?


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

That voddy hint is worth learning, BH - thanks, I'll try it this year.

In recent years, I've just marzipaned/iced the top of the cakes and used very broad ribbon to decorate the sides.

P&C - I flavour my cakes with brandy, not rum, so have no views to share (you'll be pleased to hear!)


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