Uncle Bill's Christmas Fruitcake With Brandy

"I first made this cake just over 30 years ago when our liquor was inexpensive. I continued this tradition ever since. The cake is nice and moist and has a most delightful flavor. Very Nutty and Fruity. Makes about 12 to 13 pounds of cake."
 
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Ready In:
6hrs
Ingredients:
20
Serves:
70-80
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ingredients

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directions

  • Remove pineapple rings from syrup.
  • DO NOT USE SYRUP IN CAKE.
  • Cut both red and green pineapple rings into chunks (about 6 chunks of each ring.) In a large mixing bowl, add red and green pineapple chunks, pecans, almonds, red and green maraschino cherries, mixed peel and raisins and mix well.
  • Add the entire bottle of Brandy and mix well.
  • Cover the bowl tightly with food film wrap and let stand overnight.
  • During this marinate, mix at least two times.
  • THE NEXT DAY.
  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
  • Sift 3/4 cup of flour over marinated fruit and mix well to coat.
  • Now sift an additional 1/2 cup flour over fruit and mix well again.
  • In a mixing bowl cream butter; set aside.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs with 2 tablespoons of milk.
  • Add baking soda and almond extract to the beaten eggs and mix well.
  • Add remainder of 1 1/2 cups of flour over the fruit and mix well.
  • Add creamed butter and egg mixture over fruit and mix well.
  • Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, mace and cinnamon and mix very well.
  • Prepare 3 bread pans (4" x 8" x 3" deep) with parchment paper (or brown paper.) Pour cake mixture equally into each pan to about 3/4" below top of pan.
  • The cakes should be between 2" and 2 1/2" in thickness.
  • Bake in preheated 275 F oven for 4 to 5 hours on the middle rack.
  • If top of cake starts to brown too much, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
  • Test cake for doneness with a wooden testing stick.
  • If stick comes out dry, the cakes are done.
  • Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pans.
  • When cooled, remove from pans and place on metal racks for about 3 hours.
  • Remove the brown paper carefully and discard.
  • Baste the tops of each cake with Apricot Brandy or if desired with 151 Overproof Rum.
  • Wrap each cake in about 4 thicknesses of cheese cloth.
  • Now wrap each cake with 2 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.
  • Store the cakes in a cool place for at least 1 month before using (this is when they are best.) A few days before serving, unwrap the top of the foil and baste the cake through the cheesecloth with brandy or rum.
  • Re-wrap and let sit for a few days.
  • This cake freezes very well.

Questions & Replies

  1. I would like to use this recipe but can't find a printable version. Is there one available?
     
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Reviews

  1. This was fantastic...I allowed the brandy to sit with the fruits for 3 days, stirring it about 4 times a day, and man did the fruits fill out! They were just big and juicy. I have been brushing the cake for 2 weeks after baking, and I just had a slice, and it was WONDERFUL! Thankfully the recipe made 4 cakes for me, and I have got 3 more which I will be brushing and brushing more brandy into it. Will update ard December the difference in taste. but after 2 weeks it is this wonderful, I can't wait till December. Thanks Uncle Bill!
     
  2. I almost forgot to rate this one! I couldn't fine some of the ingredients, like the pineapple, but I improvised with dried fruits and used the mixed peel. At first tasting, We weren't thrilled, but at about the one month mark, it was wonderful. My boyfriend loves fruitcake. Next time, I will use the recipe for the pineapple slices to see how the recipe was intended. Thanks Uncle Bill!
     
  3. I first made this fruitcake for my dad for Christmas 2 years ago. Well that started it all. The word spread about how good it is and now everyone wants on the "fruitcake list"! It's getting very hard to keep up with all the requests! This is a very nutty and fruity cake. I personally don't like the citrus in most fruitcakes so I replaced it with dried, diced apricots that I found at a local Amish bulk food store. I have also made it with two pounds of pecans instead of one pound of almonds and one pound of pecans. Turns out just as delicious either way. There are just so many variations you can do with different fruits and nuts. Next time I may just go a little crazy and add some dried papaya or mango! As others have noted...this recipe really does get better with age. This year I made mine in October and by Christmas it was perfect!
     
  4. Uncle Bill I've been waiting since the first week in October to try and review your fruitcake. We love it and so did everyone that received one as part of their Christmas gift from us. I couldn't find red or green pineapple in Australia so just used normal pineapple (about 3 large tins). Our family isn't really keen on mixed peel so instead I used extra rasins, sultana's and currants. Thanks for sharing a delightful recipe that has now been voted "tradition" by my family and friends as part of their Aussie Christmas.
     
  5. This fruitcake is a delicious delight! I must confess that I had to substitute locally made candied pineapple because the red and green was not available here in my rural hometown. No other changes were made. I fed (bathed?) the cake every 2 weeks, starting in September, and served the cake for Christmas and for New Year's Eve. Rave reviews from all who ate it. I have decided Uncle Bill's Fruitcake is going to be a tradition of mine. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. :)
     
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Tweaks

  1. I first made this fruitcake for my dad for Christmas 2 years ago. Well that started it all. The word spread about how good it is and now everyone wants on the "fruitcake list"! It's getting very hard to keep up with all the requests! This is a very nutty and fruity cake. I personally don't like the citrus in most fruitcakes so I replaced it with dried, diced apricots that I found at a local Amish bulk food store. I have also made it with two pounds of pecans instead of one pound of almonds and one pound of pecans. Turns out just as delicious either way. There are just so many variations you can do with different fruits and nuts. Next time I may just go a little crazy and add some dried papaya or mango! As others have noted...this recipe really does get better with age. This year I made mine in October and by Christmas it was perfect!
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I live in Burnaby, British Columbia. I am retired and have written a cookbook entitled, From Uncle Bill's Kitchen. I am a recipe developer, author, publisher, distributor and a chef. My cookbook is very unique as I have a Nutrient Analysis for each ingredient used in each recipe that shows you the values for Calories, Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. A high-lighted bar shows the values on a per serving basis plus the Fat/Cal%. From Uncle Bill's Kitchen contains tried-and-true, tested, easy to follow reipes for both novice and experienced cooks. You'll find old Russian, Ukrainian, and other ethnic favorites, along with modern West Coast dishes. The Nutrient Analysis will please the health conscious. Uncle Bill's favorite recipes will reward efforts of the most creative cook and provide the family with many tantalizing, healthful meals. I have appeared on 48 various Television Shows in Vancouver, Burnaby, Kelowna and Kamploops, B.C. Canada, as well as in Palm Springs, CA. In Palm Springs, CA, I have been a Guest on the JACKIE OLDEN RADIO SHOW and THE JOEY ENGLISH RADIO SHOW, twice a year since 1998. I also do demo cooking shows at CHAPTERS BOOK STORES, SAVE-ON-FOOD STORES, GALLOWAY'S FOODS, WESTMINSTER PUBLIC QUAY MARKET, and in the U.S. at BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSTORES in Palm Springs, CA, Phoenix and Yuma, AZ. I was in Palm Springs, CA from June 10th to July 14th. 2002 and again appeared twice on the Jackie Olden Show, twice on the Joey English Show and pre-taped a TV COOKING SHOW with Jackie Olden that is aired on TV from Palm Springs, CA to Los Angeles, CA.
 
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