Light Candied Fruitcake Recipes

LIGHT CANDIED FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, salt, spices and 2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough (do not knead). Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes., Stir dough down. Stir in fruit, raisins, nuts and orange zest. Transfer to a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours., Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., For glaze, in a bowl, combine sugar, orange zest and enough orange juice to achieve drizzling consistency; spoon over cake. Decorate with cherries.

CANDIED FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and flour 4 mini loaf pans or round casserole. In medium bowl, beat egg with sugar until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt and blend. Add dates, cherries, and pineapple. Wet your hands and pack into pans. Bake at 300F for 35-40 minutes. Top should be dry, but not brown. Melt jelly, add bourbon and while cakes are still warm, spread mixture over cakes, Wrap tightly. Keep in refrigerator or freezer. Best if you can make this a week or two before serving. Family favorite for many years.

ELEGANT LIGHT FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place a pan of water in oven. Grease thoroughly and line with heavy brown paper one set of tier pans (one 9 inch, one 7 inch, and one 5 inch).
• In a large bowl combine ground almonds and fruits. Dredge with one cup flour.
• In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup flour and shortening. Gradually blend in white sugar. Beat in egg yolks and almond flavoring; beat until very light and fluffy. Mix together brandy and milk; add alternately with 4 1/2 cups flour to creamed mixture. Make 3 dry and 2 liquid additions, combining lightly after each.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar to form stiff but moist peaks. Fold into batter. Fold in floured fruit mixture.
• Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, depending on size of pan. Bake each cake until it tests done with a toothpick. Remove from pans, and lift off paper. Cool.

EASY-DOES-IT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine 1/4 cup flour, candied fruit, dates, raisins and nuts; toss until well coated; set aside., In another large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and remaining flour; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with orange juice, beating well after each addition. Stir in fruit and nut mixture; mix well., Spoon into five greased 5-3/4x3x2-in. baking pans (pans will be full). Bake at 325° for 1 hour. Cover with foil; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. , In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. With a pastry brush, brush glaze over warm loaves. Cool completely.

CANDIED HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 250°F. Grease and flour 12-cup bundt pan or tube cake pan. In large bowl, mix pecans and fruits with 3 tablespoon flour. In another large bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla and lemon extract. Sift 1 3/4 cups flour with baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to batter; stir until blended. Mix fruit mixture into batter.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 2 1/2 hours. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead; wrap in foil and store at room temperature.) Dust with powdered sugar.

CANDIED FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine dates and candied fruit in a small bowl; pour coffee and brandy over them, and stir to combine. Cover and macerate 6 hours or overnight.
• Place oven rack in lowest position and large roasting pan on rack. Fill pan halfway with hot water. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tube pan. Stir flour, mace, cinnamon, cloves, salt, baking powder and soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
• In mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 40 seconds. Scrape down bowl, add brown sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
• With machine on low speed, add dry ingredients, and mix just to combine. Mix in dates, fruit and macerating liquid. Turn batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Bake in water bath until cake has risen and top is brown, about an hour. Remove cake from oven, cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes, turn out of pan right-side up onto rack and cool completely.
• Heat sugar with 1 tablespoon water to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer until syrup thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Arrange slices of candied fruit on top of cake, and brush with syrup.

OLD FASHIONED LIGHT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after additions; stir in brandy flavoring. Combine dry ingredients, pecans, candied fruit, and raisins; mix well. Add fruit to creamed mixture, blending well.
• Spoon batter into a well-greased 10-inch tube pan or two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans lined with brown paper. Bake at 275F for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Brush top with honey 30 minutes before cake is done; then decorate with additional candied fruit and nuts, if desired. Remove from oven when cake tests done; when completely cool, wrap cake tightly in cheesecloth , and then in aluminum foil, or an airtight container.