Pat S. requested a recipe for " fruit cake that was mostly nuts and raisins". Here are some responses. If you have a variation of this recipes that you would like to share with our readers, send them to us at recipes@tias.com Be sure to also check out this weeks recipe request, below. -- This is an easy recipe for Christmas cake that I have used with no candied fruit.
2 15 OZ boxes of raisins 1 cup of granulated sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup water 1 1/2 cups butter or margarine 1/2 cup orange juice 4 eggs slightly beaten 1 tsp ground nutmeg 6 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecan or walnuts are best) 1/2 cup sherry, whisky or other liqueur (optional)
Simmer raisins, sugars and water in dutch oven for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter, cover and cool for 3 hours. Stir in the rest of the ingredients until well moistened. Turn into greased 9 inch tube pan or large loaf pan. Bake in 300 degree oven for 2 hours or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. Brush cake with whiskey or liqueur if desired, wrap in plastic and store in fridge for about one month.
--Another Recipe--
Here is my recipe from before 1960. I make it each year and still the family favorite.
Candied Fruit Cake
3 - 8oz. packages pitted dates l pound candied pineapple l pound whole candied cherries, plus some for garnishing 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 pounds (that is 8 cups) pecans halves, plus some for garnishing white corn syrup Let all ingredients stand at room temp for 1 hour. Use two 9"x5"x3" loaf pans or two 9" spring-form pans. Grease well and line bottoms and sides with brown paper cut to fit and then grease paper. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Cut dates and pineapple in coarse pieces. Put in large bowl. Add whole candied cherries. Do not use cake flour or self-rising flour. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Sift onto fruit. Mix fruits and dry ingredients well with fingers, separating pieces of fruit so that all are well coated with dry ingredients. Beat eggs until frothy. Gradually beat in g granulated sugar. Add to fruit mixture; mix well with large spoon. Add 8 cups pecans halves. Mix with hands until nuts are evenly distributed and are coated with batter. Pack into pans, pressing down with palms of hands. If necessary rearrange pieces of fruit and nuts to fill any empty spaces. Decorate tops with rows of whole cherries and pecan halves. Bake springform cake about 1 1/4 hours; loaf cake 1 1/2 hours. (Tops of cakes, where batter is visible, should look dry, but will not be brown. If there is any doubt, leave cakes in oven a few minutes longer.) Let stand about 5 minutes after removing from oven. Turn out on racks and carefully peel off paper. Turn top side up, brush with corn syrup; cool. Wrap in foil and store airtight in cool place. Will keep several weeks but can be frozen. ENJOY!
--Another Recipe--
My mother used to make this every Christmas. The cake is very moist, but not quite the same as fruit cake. This recipe originally was given to my mother by my grandmother, her mother-in-law.
Poor Man's Cake
1 Package seedless raisins 3 cups of water
Cook raisins 1/2 hour, take off the stove and add 1 cup of cold water. Also add 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1 cup of "lard" (shortening?), 1 1/2 cup sugar, 4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Beat well and put in a "slow" oven (325). Bake in tube pan for about 1 hours.
Mom added black walnuts, but she doesn't specify how much. My assumption is the original 3 cups or water evaporate during cooking.
Hope this works. Anne G. Younger Wilmington, De. ---- Did you know TIAS merchants have over 1000 vintage cookbooks for sale online? They make great gifts. Take a http://www.tias.com/cookbooks
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