Gubane Friulian Fruitcake Recipes

FREE RANGE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.
• Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)
• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.
• Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.
• When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Grease and flour a tube pan.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, soda, spices, eggs, lemon rind, vanilla, 1/2 cup brandy, fruit, nuts, and melted butter or margarine. Mix thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
• Wrap cooled cake in foil. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons brandy over the cake everyday for 2 weeks.

GUBANE (FRIULIAN FRUITCAKE)

Steps:

• For the dough: Dissolve yeast with 1 tablespoons sugar in 1/4 cup of the warm milk. Combine egg yolks, butter, and remaining sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Beat on medium until well mixed. Continuing to beat, add 3 cups of the flour, then add lemon zest, salt, rum, and yeast. Gradually mix in remaining 1/2 cup milk until dough is smooth.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes. Transfer dough to a large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and set in a warm place until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
• For the filling: Combine raisins, prunes, figs, and rum in a large bowl and set aside to macerate for 1 hour, then mix in pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, chocolate, candied fruits, amaretti, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Roll out risen dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Brush around edges with beaten egg, then spread filling evenly over dough, avoiding edges. Working from long side, roll up dough jelly-roll style, then curl into a spiral. Place on a baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
• Brush with egg, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoons sugar, and bake until browned, about 50 minutes.

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.

HOLIDAY BOURBON FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• On the first day, combine the candied orange peel, candied citron, candied pineapple, red and green candied cherries, currants, raisins, walnuts, and almonds. Combine the orange juice and the 2/3 cup bourbon; pour over the fruit and nuts. Stir and then cover tightly. Let the fruit marinate in a cool place for 1 full day, or at least 20 hours.
• On the second day, line two 9x5 inch loaf pans with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease the inside with cooking spray. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a whisk to blend.
• In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. Stir in the egg yolks until blended and then mix in the applesauce, the 1/2 cup bourbon, and vanilla until fluffy. Continue stirring, and add the the flour mixture gradually until well combined. Add the molasses and stir to combine. When the batter is thoroughly mixed, gently mix in the fruit and nut mixture with all of its juices.
• In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until they can hold a stiff peak. Fold egg whites into the batter. Divide evenly between the prepared pans. Cover loosely with a towel and let the batter stand overnight in a cool, dry place.
• On the third day, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place a large baking pan on the bottom shelf and pour boiling water into it until almost full. Place a baking sheet on the center shelf and place the fruit cakes on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven. Check the water level and refill if needed. Cover the cakes with a sheet of parchment paper, taking care not to let it touch the shelf. Continue to bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour more. Cool fruitcakes in the pans, set over a wire rack. Once cool, remove the cakes from the pans, and leave the parchment paper on. Sprinkle with more bourbon if desired and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in a tin or other sealed container overnight before serving.

GLUTEN-FREE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Put raisins, golden raisins, cranberries, and cherries in a bowl. Pour rum and orange juice over the dried fruit. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a loaf pan.
• Whisk brown rice flour, almond meal, potato and tapioca starches, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and ginger together in a bowl. Set aside 3 tablespoons of this mixture. Add baking powder to the larger portion; mix well.
• Combine orange zest, dates, figs, and 1/4 cup candied fruit in a bowl. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of the reserved flour mixture and toss to coat.
• Beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs one by one, beating after each addition. Mix in applesauce.
• Drain the dried fruit, reserving the soaking liquid. Add drained fruit to the fig mixture and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon reserved flour mixture.
• Mix soaking liquid into the butter mixture. Gradually add flour, stirring just until combined; do not overmix. Fold in hazelnuts, walnut halves, and pecan halves.
• Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Decorate the top with almonds and candied fruit slices.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 290 degrees F (145 degrees C). Continue baking until browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes more.
• Remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from pan. Brush cherry brandy on top. Let cake rest 24 hours for best results.