Apricot Macadamia Nut Fruitcake Recipes

APRICOT AND MACADAMIA FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300. Grease and lightly flour six 1-cup molds or one 9x5x3 loaf pan.
• In a small saucepan bring 1/2 cup apricot nectar just to boiling. Remove from heat and stir in apricots and raisins. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl whip butter then beat in sugar, beating till combined.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup apricot brandy, the 1/4 cup nectar and vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture and nectar mixture alternately to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
• Fold soaked fruit and chopped nuts into batter. Spread into prepared pan.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes for small pans or 70 minutes for the loaf pan. Cool cake in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
• Poke holes into cake using a pick or skewer. Soak the cotton cheesecloth with the remaining 1/2 cup apricot brandy, wrap the cake and drizzle any remaining brandy over the cake. Wrap tightly in foil.
• Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Drizzle with the remaining 1/3 cup nectar after 24 hours.
• For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.

PINEAPPLE-MACADAMIA FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease three 8- x 5-inch loaf pans. Line with wax paper and grease the paper. In a medium bowl, toss 4 cups of the pineapple, the nuts and coconut with 1/4 cup flour until coated. Set aside. In a large mixer bowl at medium speed, beat sugar and butter or margarine for 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk, pineapple flavoring and vanilla extract. At low speed, beat in flour until well blended. With a wooden spoon, stir in fruit-nut mixture. Spoon batter into pans and top with remaining pineapple, pressing lightly into batter. Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans, peel off wax paper and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap in foil. Refrigerate at least 2 days before serving. Store in refrigerator up to 1 month or in freezer up to 3 months.

APRICOT-MACADAMIA NUT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Grease & flour a 6 Cup bundt pan. Cream Butter with sugar in a large bowl. In a separte small bowl, beat egg yolks to blend, then add to butter mixture. Combine milk, brandy and vanilla in another bowl. Add to butter mixture alternately with flour in 4 batches. Stir in apricots, raisins and nuts. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Gently fold whites into butter. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake 2 1/4 hrs or until tester comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on rack.

PINEAPPLE MACADAMIA NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9-inch pan.
• In a large bowl, mix shortening and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, pineapple, 1/2 cup rum, and vanilla. Add flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder and salt; mix until fully incorporated. Stir in macadamia nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, about 45 to 55 minutes.
• To make the glaze: Place water, butter, and 1/2 cup sugar in small sauce pan. Boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup rum.
• While cake is still very warm, poke holes all over top of cake with toothpick. Slowly spoon glaze onto cake. Cake will be very moist. Let stand for at least 15 minutes to absorb glaze. Best served while still warm.

REDUCED-SUGAR GINGER-APRICOT FRUIT CAKE WITH HARD SAUCE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment so it extends over the 2 long sides of the pan.
• In a medium bowl, toss 1/4 cup of the flour with macadamia nuts, apricots, and ginger.
• In another medium bowl, whisk to combine remaining 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl or a stand mixer with the paddle, beat butter, sugar, and stevia until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time just until combined. Gently mix in flour, then fold in fruit and nut mixture.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then poke cake all over with a skewer. Very slowly pour rum all over cake and let sit 10 minutes before transferring cake to a rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.
• Beat butter and stevia in a medium bowl or a stand mixer until smooth. Beat in rum. To serve, spread top of cake with icing, then slice.