Grandmas Fruitcake Recipes

GRANDMA'S MOLASSES FRUITCAKE

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.

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'S FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 ºF.
• In a large pot, combine sugar, butter, water, raisins, and fruit mix.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Cool overnight.
• Sift flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and spices together.
• Add alternately with eggs to raisin mixture.
• Pour into foil-lined & greased loaf pans until ⅔ full.
• Bake at 275 ºF for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Test by sticking toothpick in center (ready if toothpick comes out clean).
• Remove from oven and brush twice generously with brandy, once while hot and once when cool.

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'S BOILED FRUITCAKE

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.

GRANDMA'S PRIZED BLUE RIBBON FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Chop all the dried fruit and nuts. Place in a bowl and set aside.
• Cream the butter, sugar and honey.
• Mix the rum, orange juice and eggsin a bowl.
• Add the wet ingredients alternatley with the sifted dried ingredients. Stiring well after each addition.
• Add the fruit and nuts. Stir well to combine.
• Pour into two 9 inch round cake tins or one large 30xm square tin, greased and well lined up to the rim(s).
• Bake at 130oC for 4 hours, turning once.
• Cool in tin.