Lindas Aussie Christmas Fruitcake Recipes

QUICK FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Butter cake pans, and line with wax paper. Butter the wax paper.
• Sift the flour with the baking soda.
• In a large bowl, combine eggs, mincemeat, condensed milk, fruit, and nuts. Fold in dry ingredients. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake for 2 hours, or until center springs back and top is golden brown. Cool. Turn cakes out onto wire rack; remove wax paper.

LINDA'S AUSSIE CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine prunes, sultanas and currants in a bowl, mix in sherry and brandy, cover and stand overnight.
• Grease a deep 23cm round cake pan, line with 3 layers of paper.
• Cream butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until combined.
• Add eggs quickly, one at a time, beat only until combined between each addition.
• Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in combined coffee and water and jam and the sifted dry ingredients in two lots.
• Drain prune mixture (reserve liquid).
• Add prune mixture, cherries, dates, peel and nuts to cake mixture.
• Spread cake mixture into prepared pan.
• Bake in slow oven (150C / 300F) for about 2 hours.
• Brush reserved liquid over hot cake.
• Cool in pan.
• Ice with Royal Icing (the packet kind is find) if you wish.

CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add the lemon zest and juice and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat.
• Combine the dried fruits together in a large mixing bowl.
• Pour the simple syrup over them, toss to coat, and let steep for 5 minutes.
• Strain and reserve the syrup.
• Cream the butter, sugar, and almond paste together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle at low speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Beat about 2 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.
• Add ½ cup of the Grand Marnier and mix to incorporate.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon,nutmeg, ginger& cloves in a medium-size mixing bowl and blend well.
• Add this mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the butter mixture with the mixer on low speed, each time mixing until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• The batter will be thick.
• Add the warm fruit and all the nuts a little at a time, mixing well.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease twelve 1-pound loaf pans or 6-2 pound pans or cans.
• Spoon about 1 cup of the batter into each 1 pound pan, 2 cups into the 2 pound pans or cans.
• Bake until golden and the tops spring back when touched, about 45 minutes for the 1 pound pans 60 or longer for the larger pans (rearranging them after 25 minutes if necessary to brown evenly).
• Test with toothpick for doneness.
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pans.
• Remove cakes from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
• Wrap each cake in a layer of cheesecloth.
• Store in plastic storage bags until they are slightly stale, 3 to 4 days.
• Combine the reserved simple syrup with the remaining ½ cup Grand Marnier and the bourbon.
• Without removing the cheesecloth, make tiny holes with a toothpick randomly on the top of each cake.
• Pour 2 tablespoons of the syrup over the top of each cake once every 2 to 3 days until all of the syrup is used.
• Let the cakes age for up to 3 weeks before eating.
• Makes 12 (1-pound) or 6 (2-pound) cakes.