Grandma Ruths Fruitcake Recipes

RUTH'S GRANDMA'S PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, shortening, sugar, and salt. Blend together with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
• In a small bowl, mix egg with water. Blend into flour mixture. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

GRANDMA RUTH'S STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms, celery, and onions until softened.
• Dampen the fresh bread cubes (not the stuffing mix), then squeeze out any excess water.
• In a large bowl, combine the mushroom mixture, bread cubes, stuffing mix, eggs, and 1 can chicken broth. Season with sage, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well. The stuffing should have a rather paste-like consistency. Mix in additional chicken broth as necessary.
• Loosely pack stuffing inside turkey cavity before roasting.

GRANDMA LEACH'S FRUITCAKE

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.

GRANDMA R'S FRUITCAKE

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.

GRANDMA LEONE'S FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 8x8-inch baking pans.
• Bring water and raisins to a boil in a saucepan; cook until raisins are plump, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool raisins; reserve raisin water.
• Mix 3 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Place pecans and 2 tablespoons flour in a resealable plastic bag; close and shake bag until pecans are coated. Pour pecans into a colander and shake off excess flour.
• Whisk sugar, oil, eggs, and cooled raisin water together in a bowl; fold in candied fruit. Stir flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, into sugar mixture until fully incorporated; fold in raisins and pecans. Fill the prepared pans a little over half full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); bake until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 more hour.

GRANDMA RUTH'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Halve the dates and the cherries, add pineapple and orange peel and rum and let soak for about 30 minute.
• Add nuts and stir until evenly distributed.
• Sift flour,sugar,baking powder and salt together and sprinkle over fruit and nut mixture coating all pieces.
• Beat eggs until lemon-colored and pour over other ingredients -- mix thoroughly until all pieces are wet and no dry flour remains.
• Grease 5 3x6 loaf pans (mini) and line bottoms with parchment paper and grease that as well -- this mixture is extremely sticky! Press fruitcake mixture into pans and bake in 325 F oven for 1 hour -- remove and allow to cool.
• I have found they are easier to remove from pans while still slightly warm.
• I also brush daily with rum for about 3 or 4 days before serving -- wrapping each cake in plastic wrap or wax paper.