A few years back I took over the holiday baking in my family. But with that comes some requirements, must haves on the sweet treat list. One being our families fruitcake or as my mom always called it ‘White Fruitcake’. I have no idea where the name came from, I just assumed it’s because it used white flour instead of whole wheat… I guess I should ask what that’s all about. But more importantly it’s a recipe that has been made in my family, now for 4 generations. And though it’s a pain to make, mainly due to the long bake time, I’m grateful it’s apart of my holiday traditions. I hope you enjoy it as well!
Aunt Margaret & Nana’s White Fruit Cake
Ingredients: Makes 3 10" loaves or 9 small loaves
4 ½ C Flour
3 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Ground Cardamom
½ C Butter
½ C Shortening
2 C Sugar
6 eggs
1 C Orange Juice
1 C Blanched Almond halves/slivers
1 C Chopped Dried Apricots, citron, orange peel, lemon peel (1/3 C of each)
1 C Sliced Candied Cherries & Pineapple (1/2 C of each)
1 tsp Lemon Extract
Butter (for greasing the loaf pan)
Flour (for dusting the loaf pan)
Tools:
Oven
Electric Mixer
10” Loaf Pans (3) OR 9 Small Loaf Pans
Sifter
2 -3 Mixing bowls
Dry Measuring Cup
Liquid Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoons
Spatula
Knife
Cutting Board
Tooth Pick
Parchment Paper
Cooling Rack
2 Gallon Plastic Bag
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
2. Slice & Chop dried fruits and almonds
Short Cut - Buy pre-cut dried fruit and nuts
If you use a 16 oz Deluxe Fruit Cake Mix, you'll still need 1/3 C Dried Apricots
Yes, you can use regular dried fruit, it does not have be candied
3. In a gallon plastic bag or a mixing bowl - combine dried fruit (apricot, citron, orange peel, lemon peel, cherries, & pineapple) and almond with a couple tablespoons of extra flour. Shake to coat and set aside.
4. Prep Loaf Pans - coat with butter (base and edges) and dust with flour (base and edges)
5. Sift Dry Ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt & ground cardamom) into a bow
6. In a separate bowl cream together: butter, shortening, sugar & lemon extract
7. Turn off mixer, scrape down bowl with a spatula
8. Once creamed add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each egg
9. Turn off mixer, scrape down bowl with spatula
10. Add flour mixture to the egg batter, alternating with orange juice
I add the flour mixture in ¼ C increments and juice a couple tablespoons at a time.
11. Once fully mixed, turn off mixer, scrape down bowl with spatula
12. Add dried fruit and almonds, mix to the batter
13. Split batter equally between 3 - 10” loaf pans or 9 Small loaf pans
14. Place pans in order and cover tops with parchment paper
15. Bake for 2 hours at 275 degrees
Original recipe says to bake from 3-4 hours but for the past 10 years (per my mom’s notes) it’s baked in 2.5 hours.
For the small loaf pans bake for an hour and a half
16. Remove parchment paper
17. Bake for an additional half hour
18. Test doneness with a toothpick, should come out clean
19. Let cool on a cooling rack
Once at room temperature, flip upside down to release from pan. Place fruit cake directly on cooling rack and cool.
We use the small loaf pans as gifts and do not remove the fruit cake from the pans
20. Once completely cooled, store in gallon plastic bag, wrap in plastic wrap or store in food safe storage container.
How to eat… slice and serve or in our family we slice, toast and top with butter to enjoy with our morning coffee.
Happy Holiday's - Poppy & Vine