Heirloom Fruitcake

Submitted by Kelly Vaughn

"Plan on making this as close to Thanksgiving as possible, so it has time to cure before Christmas. This is a lot like the fruitcake from Corsicana, Texas. It is a very solid cake, with just enough batter to secure together the many pounds of fruit and nuts. The less expensive fruitcakes will have large amounts of batter, with the candied fruit set apart like jewels and framed by cake. One of the important construction techniques is the tedious snipping of all the fruits (with the possible exception of the currants). Even the raisins should be snipped into two or three pieces each. I warn you ahead of time: be patient! It is worth the effort. Lastly, the painting on of juice and long curing period allow for the many flavors to develop and intermingle. Don't skip it. Makes 1 7-lb fruitcake"

 

• Ready In: 6hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 24
• Yields: 1 fruitcake

ingredients

• 1 lb candied cherry
• 1 lb candied pineapple
• 1⁄4 lb candied orange peel
• 1⁄4 candied lemon peel
• 1 cup shelled pecans
• 1 1⁄4 lbs pitted dates
• 1 lb golden raisin
• 1⁄2 lb dark raisin
• 1⁄2 lb currants
• 1 cup sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1⁄2 cup grape jelly
• 2 2 cups brandy or 2 cups grape juice

directions

1. Finely chop candied fruits and pecans.
2. Snip dates and raisins into small pieces with kitchen shears dipped in hot water occasionally to prevent stickiness.
3. Combine fruit and nuts in a bowl, add 2 or 3 T flour and toss to mix well.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon.
5. Set aside.
6. Cream butter until fluffy, then add brown sugar and gradually beat until light and fluffy.
7. Beat in eggs two at a time, then stir in vanilla, lemon juice, and orange juice.
8. Mix jelly and rum/juice until smooth.
9. Add alternately to batter with dry ingredients.
10. Pour batter over fruit and mix throughly, using a wooden spoon or your hands.
11. Pour batter into 2 greased and lined loaf pans or 1 ten-inch tube pan.
12. Bake at 275 F for 3 1/2 hours.
13. Paint generously with grape juice/brandy and wrap in cheesecloth and foil, keeping refrigerated until Christmas time.
14. Paint on more juice once or twice per week.

Reviews

[crescendogal]

WOW!!! SO good!!! Lots of prep but well worth it! I tried a couple others on the zaar this year and this is our favorite!!! Will be making this every year now :0) Thanks for sharing

 

[William Robert DuBo]

I used my food processor to "chop" the fruits, don't know if that's too fine for others but, works for me. Making this for New Years Eve. Willie Dee