Nanas Japanese Fruitcake Recipes

NANA'S JAPANESE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees with racks placed in center. Spread nuts on a baking pan. Bake until fragrant, about 7 minutes. Transfer nuts to a bowl; set aside to cool.
• Line the bottoms of three 8-by-2-inch buttered cake pans with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust the bottoms and sides of pan with flour, and tap out any excess. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Finely chop the raisins, and combine with the cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.
• With an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar and shortening on medium speed until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, add the flour mixture and the milk to the batter, alternating between the two, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Fold the reserved raisin mixture into one-third of the batter. Pour batter into one cake pan. Stir the reserved toasted walnuts into the remaining batter. Divide batter between two remaining cake pans. Bake, rotating pans for even baking if necessary, until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks to cool, and invert cakes onto cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
• Combine the pineapple, oranges, 2 cups coconut, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring filling to a boil over high heat, stirring. Reduce to a simmer, and let cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch into 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into filling. Continue to cook until thick, 6 minutes. Let cool before using.
• Place one walnut layer top-side down on the serving plate. Top with half of the filling. Place the raisin layer, top-side up, securely on top, press down lightly. Using an offset spatula, go around the layers to press filling between layers. Top with remaining filling. Place remaining walnut layer on top, top-side up. Press down with hands. Using the offset spatula, go around layers again to ensure filling is securely between layers. Frost the sides of the cake first, using an offset spatula. Finish icing the top of the cake. Decorate top of cake with drained candied orange zest and remaining coconut. Serve.

AUNT NORMA'S NUTCASE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• To deep-fry fruitcake garnish: Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a deep-fryer to about 375 degrees F. In a shallow dish, whisk 1 egg. Place the chopped nuts in another shallow dish. Dip the fruitcake cubes in egg and then roll in nuts. Put the fruitcake on a skewer or place in a small fry basket. Carefully place the fruitcake in the hot oil. Hold it under with a spider strainer to ensure even browning. It should turn golden in 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the fruitcake to paper towels and let drain. Allow the fruitcake to sit and cool for about 5 minutes. To make the cocktail: Combine the applejack brandy, hazelnut liqueur, black currant liqueur, cherry liqueur, cinnamon liqueur, grenadine, and cream in a Colins glass, fill with ice and stir. Garnish drink with a cherry and a cube of deep fried fruitcake on a cocktail pick.

NANA'S FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges, apples, pears, and pecans.
• In a small mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and lemon juice. Add enough fruit cocktail juice to achieve a smooth and creamy consistency.
• Fold the cream cheese mixture into the fruit mixture and toss. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving. Prior to serving slice bananas, add to fruit salad and toss again.

NANA'S FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• put sultannas in a saucepan, cover with water and boil.
• beet eggs, add sugar.
• cut butter and add to eggs and sugar.
• strain sultannas, add to egg mixture and stir.
• add flour, baking powder and salt.
• bake for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.
• add essence if wanted.
• check at 1 hour.

JAPANESE FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter insides of 2 9-inch layer cake pans. Sprinkle with flour and shake out excess.
• Cream together sugar and 1/2 pound of butter in mixing bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift together 3 1/3 cups flour and baking powder and add mixture to batter alternately with milk and vanilla.
• Spoon and scrape half batter into one of prepared pans and smooth over top with spatula. Set aside.
• To remaining batter add allspice, cinnamon and cloves.
• Chop raisins and pecans and add them. Blend well. Spoon and scrape mixture into second pan. Smooth over top. Place in oven and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until straw inserted into center comes out clean. White cake will cook faster than fruit-and-nut cake.
• Remove layers from oven and let cool on rack about 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and let stand until completely cool.
• To prepare filling, combine 1 cup of water, lemon juice, lemon rind, 2 cups of coconut and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil.
• Combine cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Blend well and stir this into sauce. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture mounds or lumps when dropped from spoon (the temperature should be 205 to 210 degrees). Let cool.
• Place fruit-and-nut cake on cake plate and frost the top. Top this with white cake. Frost cake, top and sides. Sprinkle remaining coconut over the cake. The cake may be served immediately but is best if left to stand a day or so.

JAPANESE FRUIT CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
• Cream together butter, 2 cups sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with milk into egg mixture. Divide batter into 3 parts. Fill two pans with plain batter. Add spices, raisins, and nuts into remaining batter, and pour batter into third pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until done. Cool layers on wire racks.
• Mix together orange juice and rind, 2 cups coconut, 2 cups sugar, boiling water, and cornstarch in a 2 quart pan. Bring to a boil, and cook until mixture falls in lumps from a spoon. Put layers together with filling, placing spiced layer in the center. Ice cake with Seven Minute Frosting, and cover with remaining coconut.

NAN'S BEST DARK FRUITCAKE:

Steps:

• With 3/4 cup of the dark rum, pour over chopped fruit and nuts. Cover and let soak for at least 48 hours. The fruit should be stirred once a day or so.
• Keep remaining rum for after baking directions -- see below.
• Stir flour, salt, baking soda and spices together Set aside.
• In separate bowl, Cream shortening and brown sugar together till fluffy.
• Add eggs and beat one at a time.
• Add molasses, jam and mix well.
• Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in fruit.
• Prepare your round fruit cake pan by oiling and line pan with paper. Oil and flour again lightly.
• Ensure the top of the paper is about 1 inch or so above the top of the pan.
• Fill prepared pans 2/3 full.
• Bake in a slow oven 300°F for 2 hours or so.
• Place a shallow pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven during baking. This will ensure the cake stays moist. Remove this pan of water during the last hour of baking.
• Cool completely before removing paper.
• Storing and mellowing of fruit Cake: Wrap a cheese cloth that has been soaked in the remaining 1/4 cup of rum over the cake, covering it completely.
• Next wrap the cake and cheesecloth in aluminum foil wrap.
• Place in a cool place. Taste of cake is best when stored for 4 weeks or so! I've often brushed egg white over the cake, rolled out almond paste and laid it over the top and sides of cake. I then ice it. Everyone raves! NOTE: I've often doubled the recipe for a larger cake.