I know I said before I don't do fruticake, but I am breaking down and following the tradition of the "Round the World it goes" fruitcake. Have you ever heard the story that there is really only one fruit cake in the world and it keeps getting regifted around the world? It is also said that fruitcake and bugs with out last a nuclear explosion. I don't know about that, but I do know that when I was growing up we received at least one fruitcake each year and it sat in that tin can until my mother fed it to the birds and squirrels. She said it was her way of sharing Christmas with God's creatures. Yeah! Right! She didn't want us to think that she was not thankful to the person (always my Aunt Mary)that gave it to us or to hurt my aunt's feelings.
All that is well and good, but there is still the issue of whether people really eat this or not? I don't know of anyone who likes it. I never met anyone that every said they wanted a fruitcake for Christmas. So I am asking you. Do you know of anyone that likes it? Let me know. If you make the fruitcake let me know. And if anyone eats it let me know. I would love to hear from anyone on this subject. For the moment is it the time to bake fruticake and if you do I hope you enjoy it. I tried to find the easiest one possible. Good Luck!
Boiled Dark Fruit Cake
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. cloves
Pinch of salt
3 1/2 c. water
1 lb. dark raisins
1/2 c. sherry
1 lb. candied fruits
1 c. nut meats (optional)
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
Boil first 7 ingredients together for 15 minutes. Let cool. (Makes your house smell wonderful.) Add sherry, candied fruits, and nut meats to cooled mixture. Sift together flour and baking soda 3 times. Now alternately mix a portion of dry and wet mixtures together (about 5 mixings). Do not beat; just fold together gently until flour is totally assimulated.
Grease two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans (aluminum pans can be used). Or bundt cake pan. Bake 1 1/2 hours
Transfer equal portions of batter to pans. Decorate top with nuts and candied cherries, if desired. Bake approximately 1 hour at 375 degrees or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.
Remove from pans. Sprinkle with sherry. Wrap in aluminum foil and store 2 weeks in cool place. Freezes well. An easy to make, excellent moist tasty fruit cake. Makes a nice gift wrapped in tissue and tied with ribbon.
My Dad and I both like fruitcake! Strange I know but true. Everybody puts it down and I don't know why. Maybe they never had a good one? I'm not sure. You don't really say if you like it?! I usually make one but I don't know if I'm going to this year, we haven't bought the candied fruits yet.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE fruitcake. So does my daughter.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd ever attempt to make it though, because it does seem like something that I could easily mess up or that would taste nothing like the store bought Fruitcakes I am used to buying. I think the key here is that it may not taste like the store bought ones we are used to. I'm an adventurous cook, but I still think I'd go with store bought.
I want to buy one for the holiday but they are so expensive. A local bakery wants $18.95 a pound and let's face it, those things are darn heavy. A pound would probably be a slice and a half. lol!
One of the men at work brought in what he called a "no bake fruit cake" or "refrigerator fruit cake." Have you ever heard of either of these? It was actually good and I don't like fruit cake.
ReplyDeleteMartha
I am happy to hear that it is liked by some. I always felt terrible that so much trouble went into baking all these cakes and they did not get eaten.
ReplyDeleteMac I would like to try the "no bake or refridgerator one. I will try and find the recipe.DCRose
I've never attempted to bake a fruitcake before, but I have eaten a slice or two in my lifetime. :)
ReplyDeleteThere is a Chocolate Nut Fruitcake recipe on the Better Homes & Gardens website that I'm tempted to try - http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cakes/chocolate-nut-fruitcake/. Just not sure if I'll have the time to make it this year though.
Your recipe sounds wonderful! I would definitely try a slice. :)